Price 10 cents 



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1 1919 
Copy 1 



ATHLETIC LIBRARY l«W^~ 



O'"* 



HOW TO SCORE 

a base Ball Game 











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American Sports Publishing Co. 

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No. 224 How to Play the Outfield 
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No. 227 How to Play Third Base 
No. 228 How to Play Shortstop 
No. 229 How to Catch 
No. 230 How to Pitch 

'How to Organize a Base Ball 
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How to Organize a Base Ball 
No. J How to Manage a Base Ball 
231 1 Club 

How toTrain a Base BallTeam 
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No. 67R. Exercises on the Side Horsej 
Exercises on the Flying 
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No. 68R. Horizontal Bar Exercises ; 
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No. 325 Twenty-Minute Exercises 
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No. 9R. How to Live 100 Years 
No.23R. Get Well; Keep Well 
No. 33R. Tensing Exercises 
No. 51R. 285 Health Answers 
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Gardner scoring in second inning of fourth game. Hoblitzel walked and 
Lewis doubled to right; both men tallied when Gardner drove the ball to 
the center field fence for a home run. 

SCENE IN THE WORLD SERIES 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY 
Group I No. 350 



HOW TO SCORE 

A Practical Textbook for Scorers of 

Base Ball Games, A mateur 

and Expert 



J. M. CUMMINGS 

Late Editor of The Sporting News, Fourteen Years Sporting Editor 

of the Baltimore News, Official Scorer of the Baltimore 

Base Ball Club for Seven Seasons, Member 

of Base Ball Writers' Association 



o^)<S^9^)^)o 



Published by 

AMERICAN SPORTS PUBLISHING CO. 

45 Rose Street, New York 

Copyright, 1919, by American Sports Publishing Company. 



INDEX 




1 


Preface ....»; 


PAGt 
3 


Glossary of Initials Used by Scorers 




4 


The Art of Scoring 




6 


The Scoring Rules . 




ii 


Base-Hit vs. Error , 




15 


Sacrifice Hits and Flies 




26 


Fielder's Choice and Force Hi* . 




29 


Put-Outs and Assists . t 




32 


Times at Bat . . . 




36 


Scoring of Runs • . , 




38 


The Earned Run • , 




4i 


Double Plays and Stolen Bases . 




43 


Miscellaneous Details 




47 


Crediting or Charging the Pitcher 




52 


Abrupt Terminations . , 




56 


Making Up the Box Scpr,e • . 




58 



©IJI.A530846 






(N 



s 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

* 



PREFACE 

For many years base ball has felt the need of more uniform 
scoring by the hundreds of official scorers attached to the clubs 
of "organized" base ball scattered throughout the country. 

The scoring rules, as promulgated from year to year by the 
Rules Committee of the major leagues, while ample for the ex- 
pert's guidance, leave too much to be interpreted by the beginner. 
Dropping from consideration the beginner's inexperience and his 
inability to obtain more definite written instruction on many 
obscure details of his art, from the mere standpoint of "many men, 
many minds," the result has been that even so-called "correct" 
scoring has shown a great range of latitude, according as the 
scorer has interpreted the instructions at his disposal strictly, 
liberally, or has endeavored to maintain the happy mean between 
the two styles. 

The consequence has been that one of the main objects for 
which scoring is designed — to show the comparative ability of 
players throughout a season — has been largely defeated because 
all scorers have not acted in unison, forming their opinions from 
some fixed, acknowledged standard. 

It is with a view of not only instructing the novice in the gen- 
eral principles of scoring, but of offering for the acceptance of 
the expert this long-needed standard, by which alone can the 
records be made uniformly of their highest value, that this work 
has been undertaken. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



GLOSSARY OF INITIALS USED BY 
SCORERS 

A. Assists made by player while fielding his position. 

A. B. Times player has been At Bat. 

B. B. Bases on Balls. Used in denoting number received by 

player while at bat, or to denote number allowed op- 
ponents by pitcher. 

B. H. Safe Hits made by player while at bat, including sin- 

gles, doubles, triples and home runs, each recorded 
as one B. H. 

Bk. Balks made by pitcher. 

E. Errors made by player while fielding his position. 

E. B. Extra Bases made on hits by player while at bat, com- 

puted as one for doubles, two for triples and three 
for home runs. 

E. I. G. Extra Inning Games pitched by pitcher. 

F. Number of games pitcher Finished as substitute for 

preceding pitcher. 

G. Games Played. 
H. Same as B. H. 

H. B. Number of batsmen Hit By Pitcher while pitching. 

H. B. O. Number of Hits By Opponents made off pitcher while 
pitching. 

H.R. Number of Home Runs made by player while batsman. 

I. P. Number of Innings Pitched by pitcher while officiating 

at pitcher's slab. 

L. Number of games Lost by pitcher, for which he has 

•been charged. 

P. B. Passed Balls allowed by catcher while fie'ding his posi- 

tion. 

Pet Percentage. 

P. O. Put-Outs made by player while fielding his position. 

R. Runs Scored. 

R. O. Runs Scored On a pitcher during innings he has offi- 
ciated at pitcher's slab. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 5 

S. B. Stolen Bases credited to base runner. 

S. F. Sacrifice Flies credited to player while batsman. 

S. H. Sacrifice Hits credited to player while batsman. 

S. 0. Struck Out. Used in denoting either number of times 

player has been struck out while batsman, or to 

denote number of strike outs credited to pitcher 

while officiating at pitcher's slab. 
T. Number of games Tied, generally used in connection 

with pitchers' records. 
T. B. Number of Total Bases gained by player as batsman, 

found by adding bases gained on singles, doubles, 

triples and home runs. 
T. C. Total Chances offered player while fielding his position. 

T. O. Games pitcher has partially pitched, from which he 

was Taken Out to allow the substitution of another 

pitcher. 
W. Number of games Won by pitcher, with which he has 

been credited. 
W. P- Wild Pitches charged against pitcher during innings he 

has officiated at pitcher's slab. 
2B. Two-base Hits made by player while batsman. 

3B. Three-base Hits made by player while batsman. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



THE ART OF SCORING 

As there are umpires and umpires, so there are scorers and 
gcorers. As the work of each of these important officials con- 
nected with base ball games depends, to a large extent, upon the 
correctness of individual eyesight and the resultant individual 
deductions, it may be expected that some criticism will ensua 
from self-appointed umpires and scorers- 

The scorer, however, can congratulate himself upon having the 
easier task. The umpire must form his judgment in the twink- 
ling of an eye "all standing" and that judgment, for weal or woe, 
must be irrevocable. The scorer can allow himself more time to 
form his opinion but, once formed, it should be as irrevocable as 
the decision of the umpire. 

The umpire must maintain a clear head and 'composed de- 
meanor, knowing that he is at all times the instant target, verbally 
and physically, for players and spectators, should his decisions fail 
to please all concerned. The scorer is safely and comfortably 
seated at a point of vantage generally removed from both players 
and spectators, further hedged about by the comfortable feeling 
that what he is doing is neither known nor deemed of any par- 
ticular consequence at the time by either body of voluntary critics. 

The umpire who has the hardihood to attempt his duties with- 
out a complete mastery of the rules of base ball, only invites 
martyrdom. The scorer, either in ignorance or from lack of the 
proper spirit, all too often makes the same attempt and — more's 
the pity — comes out unscathed, to repeat the imposition at his 
convenience. 

The scorer is not "a necessary evil." His position is one of 
great importance and great honor. He should bring to it a sense 
of responsibility and the determination to perform his duties 
conscientiously and with painstaking care. 

Now what requisites are essential in order to be able to score 
a game correctly and creditably? 

The would-be scorer must thoroughly know the rules of 
base ball from Rule I to Section 17 of Rule 86. 

The would-be scorer must thoroughly comprehend the 
general principles upon which scoring is based. 

The would-be scorer must determine to know no player, 
to know no team while discharging his duties, but to 

- perform his duties as impartially as though the 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 7 

players were inanimate objects he had never before 
seen and he never expected to see again. All thought 
of fear or favor should be strictly eliminated from 
his mind. 

The would-be scorer should determine to concentrate his 

• attention on the movements of the ball from the time 

of the original command to play ball until the last hand 

is out in the last inning. Eternal vigilance is one of 

the prices of efficient scoring. 

The would-be scorer should never allow himself to be 
put in the position of financially benefiting by the 
victory or defeat of either team,, or by the record of 
any individual engaged in the game. 

Why should the scorer deem it necessary to be posted on all 
the rules of the game instead of on the scoring rules merely? 

Because he cannot expect either to fulfill, or even to compre- 
hend his duties fulfy unless he has that broad familiarity with 
all details spread before him. Indeed, there are times when the 
scorer will be manifestly at sea unless he has the knowledge 
that will explain movements or results which, without that 
knowledge, would make that portion of the score sheet either a 
blank or ridiculous. 

To illustrate: The scorer sees a runner advance a base, ap- 
parently with full knowledge of his opponents, but with no move 
to restrain him. Unless the scorer is cognizant of the fact that 
the slight illegal motion the pitcher has made is a balk and that 
the penalty for committing a balk is the advancement of every 
runner on bases, he will be at a loss to account for the base each 
runner has so gained. 

Again, the scorer may see a pop fly fall untouched to the 
ground and bound away so that runners on bases safely advance 
and the batsman reaches first base in apparent safety. He will 
not understand why the umpire waves the batsman back to the 
bench, even though he allows the runners to retain their advanced 
bases, unless he is aware of the technical infield fly and just what 
can and cannot be legally done by base runners under such con- 
ditions. 

The scorer may find that two runners will endeavor to occupy 
one base at the same time and will note that the fielder, to "make 
assurance doubly sure" will invariably touch both runners. If the 
play happens to make the third out, causing sides to change im- 
mediately, how will he know which base runner is to be recorded 
as the third out, unless he is aware of the fact that the farther 
advanced runner was legally entitled to the base and that the 
man who "came up from behind" was the one actually put out? 



6 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

Instances of this sort might be multiplied to prove that no 
scorer can hope to be really capable unless he knows and knows 
thoroughly all the rules of the game he is endeavoring to record. 

Having mastered the general rules of base ball, it is a self- 
evident truth that the scorer should familiarize himself with the 
specific rules of scoring. The best that can be said of the scor- 
ing rules as supplied by the regular code is that they offer a most 
excellent foundation for the superstructure the scorer is left to 
build.. 

The chief trouble for years has been that the scorers over the 
country have shown entirely too varied ideas of architecture in 
rearing these superstructures. Appoint two men to score the 
same game and separate them so that there can be no consulta- 
tion until play is over, then compare the finished product. It is 
entirely possible to find that one has reared a stately edifice, 
while the other presents a log cabin. The idea of the two men 
differed as to architecture. • 

While there will always be found a case or two at times that 
admit of an honest and intelligent divergence of opinion in these 
two features that must be so largely left to individual opin- 
ion — a base hit and an error and in crediting one of the two 
or more pitchers with a victory or of charging one of two 
or more pitohers with a loss — there can be no excuse for a differ- 
ence in any other feature if the rules that govern scoring are 
thoroughly known and understood. 

It is with the hope of establishing underlying principles that 
will simplify the task of discriminating between the base hit 
and the error and will aid in determining the winning and losing 
pitcher, thus minimizing the tendency to a divergence of opinion, 
that this volume has been conceived. As a further means to the 
.same end, the various features which enter into the scorer's 
work — matters of routine, they may be termed, about which there 
can be no difference of individual opinion — will be explained 
and enlarged upon. If these principles and explanations are care- 
fully absorbed and put into practice, scoring over the entire 
country should become as nearly uniform as is possible for 
human agency to accomplish — the end toward which scoring 
has vainly striven for lo ! these many years. 

It should also be self-evident that the scorer cannot faithfully 
perform his duties if he allows sentiment or partiality to in- 
fluence his work in the slightest degree. As a man, actuated by 
all the emotions upon which base ball depends so largely for its 
popularity, he must necessarily have his team preference. But 
when he occupies the scorer's seat, he must forget it. As a man 
whose daily duties very probably entail a more or less intimate 
acquaintance with each player on one or both teams, he may be 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 9 

expected to have his private likes or dislikes. But as soon as the 
game begins, he must lay them aside. He must bend neither for- 
ward, in the endeavor to favor the team with which his senti- 
ments are supposed to lie, or the player with whom he is more 
friendly, nor must he bend backward in endeavoring to prove 
that he is affected neither by expected proclivities nor by friend- 
ship. 

He must stand straight up before God and man, faithfully 
recording results as his eyes see them, his judgment dictates and 
his conscience approves. The scorer can vastly better afford to 
suspect that he may have an incorrect eye, or bad judgment, or 
both, than a bad conscience. In the last-named alternative he 
will soon realize that he has lost both his own self-respect and 
the respect he should claim from others. A bad eye or bad judg- 
ment, with undoubted honesty of purpose, will be condoned in the 
expectation that practice will make more perfect, but the scorer 
who will give the slightest ground for suspicion that he has 
perverted the records from motives of self-interest, friendship, or 
malice — whether studiously or merely from a careless general 
desire to be known as "a good fellow," puts himself "beyond "the 
pale." Let the first, middle and last word of the scorer's plat- 
form be Honesty. 

The accuracy of the scorer depends upon his attention to the 
things it is his duty to record. This may seem a simple matter 
to carry out, but even the experienced scorer finds that it is not as 
easy as it may appear. Watch closely even the least intricate 
plays and record promptly. It seems almost ridiculous to assert 
that a scorer will occasionally imagine that the centre fielder, for 
instance, has made a fly catch when the actual fact is that the left 
fielder is entitled to the put out, yet such instances are not rare. 

The scorer is even more prone, at times, to credit the second 
baseman with the shortstop's chances, or to fail to note that some 
fielder has run far from his regular station, inveigling the care- 
less scorer into recording the play as having been made by the 
fielder whom he would naturally expect to be at or near the place 
where the ball was handled. 

Again, in hurried relayed throws, or in cases of a more or less 
lengthy run-down of a base runner between bases, both concen- 
trated attention and prompt action on the part of the scorer are 
essential. Once the play is over, unless the scorer has it either 
correctly photographed upon his brain or recorded temporarily or 
permanently, he is hopelessly at sea. His only recourse is to 
depend upon others for information — at once uncertain and 
humiliating, as an open announcement of the scorer's inefficiency. 
An excellent plan will be to jot down on the most convenient 
white surface, such plays as are complicated, at the moment each 



1G SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

fielder receives the ball, making sure that the proper player is 
recorded by keeping eyes intelligently fixed upon them, rather 
than upon the memorandum. 

The centre fielder, for instance, may relay a long hit to the 
right fielder, who in turn throws to the pitcher, who tosses to the 
catcher, putting out the runner at the plate. Having noted the 
white surface while the centre fielder is "chasing" the hit, it re- 
quires no further glance at it to jot down as each player receives 
the ball 8-9-1-2. 

Even more necessary is such, a plan when an extensive run- 
down occurs between bases. As many as five or six players may 
handle the ball and the only way to reduce danger of error of 
record to a minimum, is not to rely on memory, but to keep 
both eyes fastened on the flight of the ball, while the hand jots 
down the number of each player as the ball is received by him. 
After the play is completed, duplicates may be eliminated and the 
play put in proper shape for permanent record. 

But while it is essential for the scorer to keep his eyes on the 
ball during play, there are occasions when it is as essential for 
him to observe other things. At the beginning of each half-inning 
the scorer should glance at every fielder to be sure that no 
changes in either personnel or in position have been made, or, if 
such have been made, to properly harmonize his score book. 
As each batter takes his place at the plate, the scorer should 
satisfy himself that the proper man is "up" and that no substi- 
tute batter has been introduced. While the general rules of base 
ball provide that the umpire shall announce all such changes, the 
scorer should make it his unfailing rule to depend upon himself 
first — and others not at all, or at least when possible to avoid it. 

It should hardly be necessary to speak further upon the last 
rule laid down for the guidance of scorers — that they should not 
allow themselves under any circumstances to be put in the posi- 
tion of financially benefiting by the victory or defeat of either 
team. The great pride of base ball and the great hold it has 
upon the affections of the public are due in no small measure to 
the absolute honesty of the game and of those connected with it. 
The scorer — especially the official scorer — may be approached at 
times by parties especially interested in a certain player's record, 
dependent upon the number of hits he amasses. This approach 
may be boldly, in the nature of a bribe, or it may be in the more 
insidious form of a bet offered by a party supposed to be disin- 
terested—a bet offered with a view of losing and having the 
scorer's aid, if necessary, in making him lose. Advice to scorers 
placed in such a situation is to shun it all. No honest scorer can 
afford to be mixed up in such things. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. U 



THE SCORING RULES 

The general base ball code contains the following : 

THE SCORING RULES. 

To promote uniformity in scoring cham- 

RULE 84. pionship games the following instructions 

are given and suggestions and definitions 

made for the guidance of scorers, and they are required to 

make all scores in accordance therewith. 

The Batsman's Record. 

Section i. The first item in the tabu- 

RULE 85. lated score, after the player's name and 

position, shall be the number of times he 

has been at bat during the game, but the exceptions made 

in Rule 82 must not be included. 

Sec. 2. In the second column shall be set down the runs, 
if any, made by each player. 

Sec. 3. In the third column shall be placed the first base 
hits, if any, made by each player. 

The Scoring of Base Hits. 

Sec. 4. A base hit shall be scored in the following cases : 

When the ball from the bat strikes the ground on or 
within the foul lines and out of the reach of the fielders. 

When a fair-hit ball is partially or wholly stopped by 
a fielder in motion, but such player can not recover himself 
in time to field the ball to first before the striker reaches 
that base or to force out another base runner. 

When the ball be hit with such force to an infielder or 
pitcher that he can not handle it in time to put out the 
batsman or force out a base runner. In a case of doubt 
over this class of hits, a base hit should be scored and 
the fielder exempted from the charge of an error. 

When the ball is hit so slowly toward a fielder that he 
cannot handle it in time to put out the batsman or force 
out a base runner. 

In all cases where a base runner is retired by being hit 
by a batted ball, unless batted by himself, the batsman 
should be credited with a base hit. 

When a batted ball hits the person or clothing of the 
umpire, as defined in Rule 53, Section 6. 



12 SPALDING'S ATH15ETIC LIBRARY. 

In no case shall a base hit be scored when a base runner 
is forced out by the play. 

Sacrifice Hits. 

Sec. 5. Sacrifice hits shall be placed in the Summary. 

A sacrifice hit shall be credited to the batsman who 
when no one is out or when but one man is out, advances 
a runner a base by a bunt hit, which results in the batsman 
being put out before reaching first, or would so result if 
it were handled without error. 

A sacrifice hit shall also be credited to a batsman who, 
when no one is out or when but one man is out, hits a fly 
ball that is caught but results in a run being scored, or 
would in the judgment of the scorer so result if caught. 

Fielding Records. 

Sec. 6. The number of opponents, if any, put out by 
each player shall be set down in the fourth column. Where 
the batsman is given out by the umpire for a foul strike, or 
fails to bat in proper order, or is declared out on third 
bunt strike, the put-out shall be scored to the catcher. In 
cases of the base runner being declared "out" for interfer- 
ence, running out of line, or on an infield fly, the "out" 
should be credited to the player who would have made 
the play but for the action of the base runner or the an- 
nouncement of the umpire. 

Sec. 7. The number of times, if any, each player assists 
in putting out an opponent shall be set down in the fifth 
column. An assist should be given to each player who 
handles the ball in aiding in a run-out or any other play of 
the kind, even though he complete the play by making the 
put-out. 

An assist should be given to a player who makes a play 
in time to put a runner out, even if the player who could 
complete the play fail, through no fault of the assisting 
player. 

And generally an assist should be given to each player 
who handles or assists in any manner in handling the 
ball from the time it leaves the bat until it reaches the 
player who makes the put-out, or in case # of a thrown 
ball, to each player who throws or handles it cleanly, and 
in such a way that a put-out results, or would result if 
no error were made by a team-mate. 

Assists should be credited to every player who handles 
the ball in the play which results in a base runner being 
called "out" for interference or for running out of line. 

A double play shall mean any two continuous put-outs 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

that take place between the time the ball leaves the pitcher's 
hands until it is returned to him again standing in the 
pitcher's box. 

Errors. 

Sec. 8. An error shall be given in the sixth column 
for each misplay which prolongs the time at bat of the 
batsman or allows a base runner to make one or more 
bases when perfect play would have insured his being put 
out. But a base on balls, a base awarded to a batsman by 
being struck by a pitched ball, a balk, a passed ball or wild 
pitch shall not be included in the sixth column. 

An error shall not be charged against the catcher for a 
wild throw in an attempt to prevent a stolen base, unless 
the base runner advance an extra base because of the error. 

An error shall not be scored against the catcher or an 
infielder who attempts to complete a double play, unless 
the throw be so wild that an additional base be gained. 

In case a base runner advance a base through the failure 
of a baseman to stop or try to stop a ball accurately thrown 
to his base the latter shall be charged with an error and 
not the player who made such threw, provided there was 
occasion for it. If such throw be made to second base the 
scorer shall determine whether the second baseman or 
shortstop shall be charged with an error. 

In event of a fielder dropping a fly but recovering the 
ball in time to force a runner at another base, he shall be 
exempted from an error, the play being scored as a "force- 
out." 

Stolen Bases. 

Sec. 9. A stolen base shall be credited to the base run- 
ner whenever he advances a base unaided by a base hit, a 
put-out, a fielding or a battery error, subject to the follow- 
ing exceptions : 

In event of a double or triple steal being attempted, 
where either runner is thrown out, the other or others 
shall not be credited with a stolen base. 

In event of a base runner being touched out after sliding 
over a base, he shall not be regarded as having stolen the 
base in question. 

In event of a base runner making his start to steal a base 
prior to a battery error, he shall be credited with a stolen 
base. 

In event of a palpable muff of a ball thrown by the 
catcher, when the base runner is clearly blocked, the 
infielder making the muff shall be charged with an error 
and the base runner shall not be credited with a stolen base. 



14 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

Definition of Wild Pitch and Passed Ball. 

Sec. io. A wild pitch is a legally delivered ball, so high, 
low or wide of the plate that the catcher cannot or does 
not stop and control it with ordinary effort, and as a result 
the batsman, who becomes a base runner on such pitched 
ball, reaches first base or a base runner advances. 

A passed ball is a legally delivered ball that the catcher 
should hold or control with ordinary effort, but his failure 
to do so enables the batsman, who becomes a base runner 
on such pitched ball, to reach first base or a base runner 
to advance. 

The Summary. 

The Summary shall contain: 
RULE 86. Section i. The score made in each in- 

ning of the game and the total runs of each 
side in the game. 

Sec. 2. The number of stolen bases, if any, by each 
player. 

Sec. 3. The number of sacrifice hits, if any, made by 
each player. 

Sec. 4. The number of sacrifice flies, if any, made by 
each player. 

Sec. 5. The number of two-base hits, if any, made by 
each player. 

Sec. 6. The number of three-base hits, if any, made by 
each player. 

Sec. 7. The number of home runs, if any, made by each 
player. 

Sec. 8. The number of double and triple plays, if any, 
made by each club and the players participating in same. 

Sec. 9. The number of innings each pitcher pitched in. 

Sec. 10. The number of base hits, if any, made off each 
pitcher and the number legal at bats scored against each 
pitcher. 

Sec. 11. The number of times, if any, the pitcher strikes 
out the opposing batsmen. 

Sec. 12. The number of times, if any, the pitcher gives 
bases on balls. 

Sec. 13. The number of wild pitches, if any, charged 
against the pitcher. 

Sec. 14. The number of times, if any, the pitcher hits a 
batsman with a pitched ball, the name or names of the 
batsman or batsmen so hit to be given. 

Sec. 15. The number of passed balls by each catcher. 

Sec. 16. The time of the game. 

Sec. 17. The name of the umpire or umpires. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 15 



BASE-HIT vs. ERROR 

Perhaps the most intricate thing the scorer will be required 
to do is to determine whether, when the batsman hits a fair ball, 
he should be credited with a base-hit or the fielder who fails to 
put out the batsman should be charged with an error. Certain 
it is that this feature of scoring calls for all the intelligent judg- 
ment, the experience and the impartiality the scorer can bring to 
bear, for this is the question of all scoring. 

Let what has already been said in this connection be reiterated, 
for it cannot be held in too great importance : Know no man, no 
team. Judge the facts at your disposal and, having decided con- 
scientiously, stick to that decision though the heavens fall. Only 
one base ball criminal can be put in the same category with the 
umpire who allows himself either to be bullied or wheedled into 
changing a decision once given — the scorer who follows the ex- 
ample. 

There may come times when the scorer later half or perhaps 
wholly believes that he is wrong, but the knowledge that what he 
has done is irrevocable will lead the conscientious scorer to a 
greater determination to be right in the first place. If he ever 
allows himself to feel that a wrong can be undone by a stroke of 
the pen, he will insensibly allow himself to make his original 
entries carelessly and, more than likely, get in the habit ultimately 
of depending upon a revision dictated by the players or club 
officials most interested. 

What is the proper distinction between the base-hit and the 
error? Generally speaking, the base-hit is the result of the 
batsman, either voluntarily or involuntarily, hitting the ball to 
such portion of fair territory that it cannot be caught on the fly 
and he is enabled to reach first base before the ball is fielded 
there or before any runner already on a base when the ball is hit, 
can be forced out at an advanced base. 

As generally speaking, an error is made when the batsman is 
allowed to reach first base, or a runner already on a base when the 
ball was hit is allowed to reach an advanced base by reason of a 
mechanical failure on the part of any fielder who might reasonably 
have been expected to make or assist in making an out on the 
ball hit by the batsman. 

There are other base-hits and other errors, but of them a later 
discussion will be in order. For the present only base-hits and 



16 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

errors arising from the batsman hitting the ball will be con- 
sidered. 

In endeavoring to fairly and intelligently discriminate between 
the base-hit and the error, never for an instant be influenced by 
that favorite fallacy of the ignorant, that if a fielder "gets his 
hands on" the ball, he should be given an error and the batter 
deprived of a base-hit he may have reasonably earned. No 
greater mistake could be made than in allowing this false doctrine 
to influence results. Watch the ball from the moment it leaves 
the bat and be governed by common sense, impartially applied. 

If the ball proceeds along the ground in fair territory and re- 
mains fair under the rules, with no fielder getting near enough 
to it to handle it before the batsman reaches first, no question 
arises that it is a safe hit. So far, so good ; but suppose the ball 
travels so close to some infielder that he makes a dive for it, 
reaching it with his hand, but only with the result of slowing or 
stopping the progress of the ball, without allowing even the 
chance of a throw to make the put-out. Credit the batsman with 
a base hit. 

The reason for this line of action is plain. All concerned in 
base ball should aid in every legitimate way the tendency to 
brilliant fielding. The moment a fielder becomes convinced that 
the scorer in whose keeping his record lies is adding permanent 
handicap to brilliant play, just so soon will he decline to take 
chances other than those he believes he is sure of handling. He 
will look after the hit driven directly in his way, but he will 
make no effort to accomplish the near-impossible. The effect of 
any such determination upon the part of the fielder on the game 
will be immediately apparent. The phenomenal bits of fielding 
that set the blood of spectators tingling, become dead letters and 
the final issue of many a game will either be reversed or so 
warped as to make it unrecognizable from the result obtained 
from fielding unhampered by such scoring injustice. 

The same rule applies to outfielders to whom flies are sent. If 
an outfielder drops a ball for which he has had ample time to 
"set himself," charge him with an error. But if he has had a long 
run and has barely managed to reach the ball, even should he get 
it wholly within his hands and yet drop it, give the batter credit 
for a base-hit. 

But the application of common sense principles should not be 
limited to balls hit just out of easy fielding distance of in or out- 
fielders. The ball may travel at a moderate rate of speed directly 
at an infielder planted to receive it, when it may suddenly strike 
a pebble or some inequality of the turf and be deflected so that no 
human eye nor pair of hands could make the requisite changes 
quickly enough to insure perfect handling. Give the batsman a 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 17 

base-hit. It is a "lucky" hit, but there is no reason why he should 
be deprived of the advantage or the fielder penalized for an 
incident beyond human control. 

Another variety of doubtful hits that often cause scorers 
trouble, is the slow hit ball, resulting from either the bunt or the 
scratch. Until a few years ago, when defensive work against the 
bunt reached, such a degree of excellence as to cause a decided 
shrinkage in the number of bunts attempted, good scorers of the 
liberal school rightly made practically every bunt a base-hit when 
the batter reached first, despite fumbles or bad throws. They 
took this course because the bunt and the scratch are the kind of 
hits that invariably call for more than the ordinary fielding skill. 
That the same scorers are less liberal in allowing base-hits at the 
present time on exactly the same kind of chances is not because they 
are any less hard to handle now than then, but rather because long 
study and practice of the defensive have caused a higher standard 
to be reasonably expected on the part of the fielders. It can still 
be laid down as a general rule, however, that the fielder is 
entitled to a greater leniency on bunts and on slow scratches than 
on almost any other kind of quasi-hit. It is safe to credit the 
batsman with a base-hit on every bunt or scratch on which he 
reaches first base and an advanced runner is not put out (except 
a palpable fielder's choice) even though a fumble or a poor throw 
is made by the fielder handling the ball, unless the ball is rolled 
directly at the fielder in such a way as to make a failure to 
handle it palpably poor play upon the part of the fielder. 

Take into consideration the speed with which the fielder must 
recognize the character of the chance and must advance to meet 
the ball, and the necessity on his part for exceptionally speedy 
mechanical work with a ball that is likely spinning, twisting and 
jumping in all sorts of inconceivable ways and the reason for 
taking the liberal stand advised becomes apparent. 

Scorers should adopt this general rule in distinguishing between 
all base-hits and errors: When a fair batted ball might reason- 
ably be expected to result in an out and does not so result because 
of imperfect play, charge the fielder to whom the imperfect han- 
dling can be attributed with an error. But should a fair ball be hit 
in such a way as to cause manifestly phenomenal work necessary 
on the part of the fielder in order to make or assist in making 
an out, even though he may touch the ball or make a poor throw, 
give the batsman a base-hit. 

As important as the foregoing is the advice to scorers to give 
the batsman the benefit of any legitimate doubt arising. Score 
him a base-hit in preference to charging the fielder an error. 

The fielder should not be penalized for not doing what he 
should not justly be expected to do. If he knows that he will be, 



18 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

he will soon learn to not even make the try that will place his 
record — his chief stock in trade — in jeopardy. Free of fear of 
unjust penalty in case he tries and does not succeed, he will take 
every chance to make phenomenal play, amply repaid when he 
manages to pull it off successfully, by the plaudits of the spec- 
tators. 

But there are other base-hits and other errors besides those 
originating as heretofore described. If, for instance, a batted 
fair ball hits any base runner, the ball becomes dead, the base 
runner is automatically declared out and the batter is entitled to 
first base unless the runner hit makes the third out. And the bats- 
man is always entitled to a technical base-hit unless he is hit by 
his own batted ball. So also, if the batted ball hits the person 
or clothing of an umpire upon fair ground, the 'batter is allowed 
to take first base and is also credited with a base-hit. 

In the matter of errors, up to this point only such as might 
arise from batted balls have been considered. It must be remem- 
bered that the scorer's duty is to account for every base each 
player of the side at bat advances and there are only two ways of 
accounting — by a credit for successful aggressive work or by 
charge for unsuccessful defensive work. 

But not alone do errors arise from the failure of in or out- 
fielders to catch batted flies or to stop perfectly rolling ground 
hits. In fielding ground balls it is generally necessary for in- 
fielders and sometimes for outfielders to complete their work by 
making a perfect throw and for the receiving fielder to make a 
perfect catch. Should a base be gained by a batter or by a base 
runner because of failure to throw perfectly, or failure to catch 
the throw perfectly, charge an error against the player at fault. 
Great care should be taken in detecting which of two or more 
fielders engaged in a play of this kind is at fault. Nothing is so 
aggravating to a fielder as the knowledge that he has been 
saddled with another player's sins. 

If an infielder stops and grasps a batted ball perfectly and has 
a reasonable amount of time in which to make his throw to 
catch a runner, but throws too low, or too high, or so far to 
either side as to cause the receiving fielder to miss the play, 
charge the player who threw the ball an error. If, however, the 
throw is considered sufficiently perfect for the receiving fielder 
to have handled the ball in such a way as to have made the out, 
charge the player to whom the ball is thrown an error. 

Eternal vigilance is necessary on the part of the scorer if he 
is to determine accurately which fielder is to blame. He must be 
sure that he has made no mistake and he cannot be sure unless 
he has every move of the play indelibly photographed upon his 
mind. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 19 

Outfielders are more exempt from errors of this sort than the 
inner ranks, but it is not unsual for them to come under the ban. 
It frequently happens that an outfielder, after making a fly catch 
or stopping a ground ball, is required to throw to the plate, or 
to one of the bases in order to prevent a runner or runners from 
advancing farther than could be legitimately expected. 

In this connection it may be remarked that a runner is fre- 
quently expected to advance a base on "the throw-in" — a fact 
which scorers should recognize in order not to confuse the base 
so acquired with the base-hit or the error. Let us suppose, for 
instance, that with a runner on second, the batter makes a clean 
hit to- an outfielder. Should the outfielder throw to the plate to 
prevent the runner on second from proceeding farther than third, 
it is likely that the batsman will continue to second base. The 
scorer must not confuse this state of affairs with a two-base 
•hit. The batsman is probably entitled to a single only and he is 
considered as having reached second "on the throw-in." 

Returning to the liability of the outfielder to error under such 
conditions, should his throw be stopped and held by the catcher, 
or by any other fielder to whom the throw has been made, well 
and good. But should the throw bound over the receiving 
fielder's head or prove too wide or too imperfect from any stand- 
point for the receiving fielder to be reasonably supposed to stop 
the ball, allowing any of the runners on bases to take one or more 
additional bases, the outfielder must be charged with an error. In- 
deed, the tendency is to give the receiving fielder the benefit of 
any doubt that may be felt, for the reason possibly that there is 
vastly more occasion for the infielders, catcher and pitcher to 
make errors than for any outfielder and that when the oppor- 
tunity presents, the inner ranks should receive the leniency. 

The general rule may be followed that one 'base may be allowed 
a runner on a throw-in if the indications are that he has advanced 
with the idea of utilizing the chance offered by the throw-in, but 
any extra base should be charged as an error against the out- 
fielder unless the receiver of the throw-in was palpably at fault. 

A type of error that has been giving the inexperienced scorer 
trouble of late years is that charged against the catcher or other 
fielder who perchance drops a foul fly he might reasonably be 
supposed to have caught. If the foul was dropped after a hard 
run, or there is any doubt about the reasonableness of expecting 
the catch, disregard the incident. It is not an error then or at 
any time thereafter. If the ball should have been caught, recog- 
nize the fact that the catcher or other player who failed to make 
the catch must be charged with an error at once. 

The reason for the too widespread misunderstanding on the 
subject is found in the fact that until 1904 no error was charged 



20 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

under such conditions unless the batsman eventually reached first 
base. But beginning with the year mentioned, whether the bats- 
man reached first or did not, has had nothing to do with charging 
the error. Remember then, that any foul fly that should be 
caught and is not, compels an error charged against the offending 
fielder. The rule previous to 1904 read as follows : 

An error shall be given * * * for each misplay which 
allows a striker or base runner to make one or more 
bases when perfect play would have insured his being put 
out, etc. 

With such instructions, it can readily be seen that no error 
could be charged for a dropped foul unless the batter eventually 
reached first base, for had he not reached first base, the original 
failure to put him out cost nothing, while the fact that he did 
reach first base eventually was alone considered a palpable some- 
thing due to the further opportunity allowed by the failure to 
make the out offered by the foul fly. 

But in 1904 the rule was changed to read as follows : 

An error shall be given * * * for each misplay which 
prolongs the time at bat of the batsman or allows a 
base runner to make one or more bases when perfect play 
would have insured his being put out. 

Note the difference made by the words "prolongs the time at 
bat of the batsman." Failure to catch a foul fly that should be 
caught, undoubtedly "prolongs the time of the batsman at bat" 
and the error follows instanter. 

As important is the knowledge when not to charge errors. The 
wild pitch and the passed ball are not classed with the ordinary 
error. They are errors none the less, as are also the base on 
balls, the hit-by-pitcher and the balk, but all of these are regarded 
as "battery errors" and have no place with the ordinary fielding 
error. They each have a place of their own, which will be dis- 
cussed elsewhere. 

Neither are errors of omission taken into cognizance except in 
certain specific instances. The error charged in black and white 
is supposed to indicate only a mechanical failure of palpable at- 
tempts that should have been successful. The most familiar type 
of errors of omission is found in the misjudgment of flies by out- 
fielders, occasionally by infielders also and the misunderstandings 
arising over who shall take a fly ball among in or outfielders, 
resulting in the ball dropping uncaught between the fielders in- 
volved. In all such cases it is customary to give the batsman a 
base-hit — for as many bases as he safely makes on that particular 
hit. The same rule applies on infield hits — usually bunts or 
scratches — when two or more infielders get mixed as to which 
shall field the ball, with the result that it is not fielded at all or, 
if fielded, it is found that no fielder is at first base to whom the 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 21 

ball may be thrown to make the out. In all such cases also, 
credit the batsman with a base-hit. 

The exception that recognizes an error of omission and pro- 
vides the penalty of an error, is in the case of a fielder throwing 
to base in perfect form, but the advance of a base runner is not 
checked because of failure of the proper fielder to cover his 
position — provided there was occasion to make the throw. In 
such cases the error is charged against the fielder who should 
have been in position to receive the throw and was not. In 
case the throw is directed toward second base, it is the scorer's 
duty to determine whether the shortstop or the second baseman 
should have been on hand to receive the ball and the error shall 
be charged against the one of the two he decrees. 

No error shall be charged against the catcher who fails to pre- 
vent a runner from stealing any base, even though the throw may 
not prove perfect, unless the runner is .enabled by reason of the 
poor throw to advance beyond the base he stole. The reason for 
this prohibition is that all such throws are made with great 
rapidity, allowing practically no time for steadying the eye or the 
hand. If the catchers were to fear the additional handicap of an 
error charged for every failure to make an absolutely perfect 
throw, they would soon cease to take many a chance which now 
results in their favor. 

The same reason may be advanced for the prohibition against 
charging an error to the account of a fielder who fails to com- 
plete a double play by reason of an imperfect throw, unless an 
additional base or more is the result of the throw. Plays of this 
kind must necessarily be attempted with great rapidity, which 
offers sufficient handicap. 

Just one other prohibition must be taken into consideration. 
A fielder — in or out — may drop a fly ball, or an infielder may 
fumble a ground ball in such a manner as to compel the charge of 
an error were that play alone to be taken into consideration. But 
if circumstances admit of the offender's recovery of the ball in 
time to force out or assist in the force out of some other runner, 
no error shall be charged for the original offense. 

The scorer must recognize that it is possible for both a safe 
hit and an error to result on the same play. The batter may reach 
first on a hit that should be credited to him as a safe hit, but the 
infielder who handles the ball may elect to take a forlorn hope and 
throw in the endeavor to put him out. Should the throw go wild, 
allowing the runner to advance one or more additional bases, a 
safe hit and an error is the proper scoring method. The hit may 
go to the outfield and the outfielder handling the ball may fumble, 
he may let the ball "go through him," or may make a bad 
throw-in. Credit a safe hit to the batsman for as many bases as 



22 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

he would have made on the hit had it been handled perfectly and 
charge the offending outfielder an error for the additional, bases 
the batsman gains. 

The only other thing necessary to call to the scorer's attention in 
this connection is the proper differentiation between the throw-in 
as directed at the batter and as directed at a runner farther ad- 
vanced, in determining the length of the batsman's safe hit. The 
batsman hits to the outfield and reaches first base, going on to 
second because the outfielder throws the ball to the plate, or to 
third in the effort to put out an advanced runner. The batter is 
entitled in such instances to a single only, taking second on the 
throw-in. If, however, he continues to second despite the 
throw-in of the outfielder to second in the vain endeavor to 
head him off, or before the outfielder could get the ball there 
should he elect to throw elsewhere, credit the batsman with a 
two-base hit. If he reaches third before the ball could be returned 
to head him off there, the credit must be for a three-base hit, etc. 

If the batsman should be fielded out at some advanced base he 
is endeavoring to make on his hit, care should be taken to give 
him credit for the full number of bases he made safely on his 
hit. For instance, if he gets put out at second endeavoring to 
stretch a single into a double, he must be credited with a single. 
If he reaches second but gets put out trying to make third, give 
him credit for a double, etc. The play at the base should be care- 
fully watched, for crediting base-hits differs in this feature from 
crediting stolen bases. If the runner reaches the bag before being 
touched and is put out on the far side of the bag through failure 
to "anchor," he should get full credit for the number of that base 
and not for the number of the base behind, as is the case when 
he is put out before he touches the advanced base. 

One modification of this rule must be remembered, however. 
Should a tie game be brought to a close by a hit, that hit can be 
no longer, technically, than is needed to score the winning run. 
For instance : Suppose the score is 3 to 3 in the last half of the 
last inning, with a runner on third base. The batter may hit the 
ball over the fence for what under ordinary circumstances would 
have been a home run. The scorer, however, can credit him with 
only a single, for a single is all that is necessary to score the runner 
with the run that wins from third base. The game ends the moment, 
that runner crosses the plate and the batter is technically "left" on 
first base. Had the winning runner been on second base when the 
hit was made, the batsman would have received credit for a two- 
bagger. With the runner on first, a three-bagger is credited to 
the batsman. Only in case no runner precedes him and he is 
compelled to make the circuit himself to score the winning run 
can the batsman get credit for a home run. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 23 

The principles laid down in the foregoing may be briefly- 
summed up as follows : 

CONCERNING BASE HITS. 

Credit a base-hit to the batsman in every case when the fielder 
cannot from any cause be reasonably expected to field the fair 
batted ball in such a manner as to put out the batter or to force 
out a preceding runner. 

The size of the base-hit credited should be the number of the 
bag last touched by the runner before being put out, except when 
the hit drives in the run that ends the game, in which case the 
size of the hit should be the number of bases gained by the runner 
scoring the winning run. 

Credit a base-hit to the batsman whose fair batted ball hits 
either a previous base runner or an umpire. 

Credit a batter a base-hit when a fielder cr fielders fail to make 
« i expected put-out on a fair batted ball because of mental mis- 
judgment instead of mechanical. 

Do not credit a base-hit on any fair batted ball upon which the 
batsman reaches first base if a previous runner has been forced 
out by the hit. 

CONCERNING ERRORS. 

Charge the fielder an error wiho does not make a put out he 
should reasonably be expected to have made, whether his failure 
is due to not handling perfectly the fair batted ball or, after 
handling properly, he does not make a proper throw. 

Charge the fielder an error who fails to perfectly receive a 
throw that he might reasonably be supposed to have taken and 
which, had he taken, would have resulted in a put-out. 

Charge the fielder an error who, either by failure to perfectly 
throw or to receive any perfectly thrown ball, allows one or more 
runners to gain one or more bases. 

Charge the catcher or other fielder an error immediately upon 
his failure to catch and hold any foul fly he might reasonably have 
been expected to catch and to hold. 

Do not charge the player an error who makes a perfect throw 
to a base for the purpose of heading off an advancing runner, if 
no one is at the base to receive the throw. Charge the error 
Against the fielder whose duty it was to be in position to receive 
the throw. In case the throw is to second base, the scorer must 
determine whether to penalize the shortstop or the second base- 
man. 

Do not charge an error against the pitcher who makes a wild 
pitoli, gives a base on balls, makes a balk or hits an opposing 
batsman or against the catcher who has a passed ball. These are 



24 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

battery errors and each has its definite, specified place in the tabu- 
lated score. 

Do not charge an error against a catcher for making a poor 
throw to a base in the endeavor to prevent a base runner from 
stealing, unless the base runner is enabled by reason of the poor 
throw to advance one or more additional bases. 

Do not charge an error against any fielder who, by reason of 
an imperfect throw fails to complete a double play, unless one or 
more runners are enabled by reason of that imperfect throw, to 
advance one or more additional bases. 

Do not charge an error against a fielder, even though imperfect 
handling of the ball allows the batsman to reach first safely, if the 
fielder forces out or assists in forcing out a runner farther ad- 
vanced. 

PROBLEMS. 
(Answers to these problems will be found in the appendix.) 

(i) Fly to left, with first and third occupied. Runner starts with 
catch. Left fielder throws to short, who relays home. Throw strikes 
ground four feet in front of and three feet to left of plate, bounding over 
catcher's head. Runner would probably have scored in any event, but 
runner from first goes on to third. 

(2) With runner on first, batsman bunts, beating throw to first. 

(3) Runner on first. Batter bunts and is thrown out at first by third 
baseman. Runner on first has advanced to second and, noting that third 
base is uncovered, keeps on to third. Third baseman and shortstop both 
endeavor to reach perfect throw to base made by first baseman, but both 
fail. Had throw been taken, runner would probably have been put out. 

(4) Line drive passes over infielder's head, so that by jumping he man- 
ages to take off some of the ball's speed with the tips of his fingers. 
Batter reaches first. 

(5) Ground ball batted directly at infielder, who allows it to pass between 
his feet without touching it, as he fails to stoop low enough. 

(6) Batter hits line drive to outfielder, who misjudges at first, but man- 
ages by hard run, to get close enough to reach out with gloved hand. 
Ball hits squarely, but drops. 

(7) Batter bunts with runner on first. Catcher fields ball and made 
motion to throw to second. Does not do so, as he believes runner has 
beaten any throw that could be made. Catcher turns to throw to first, but 
for no apparent reason does not, though throw would probably have beaten 
batsman. All hands are safe. 

(8) Batsman makes clean hit to centre, but is put out at second base by 
centre fielder's throw to second baseman. 

(9) Ball thrown by infielder hits ground in front of first baseman and 
bounds perfectly, but first baseman fails to stop it. 

(10) Batsman hits high fly in front of plate. Catcher misjudges and 
ball drops about four feet in front of him, batter reaching first safely. 

(11) Very hard hit ball strikes shins of first baseman and bounds away, 
batter reaching first safely. 

(12) Batsman lays bunt along first base line. Pitcher and catcher collide 
in trying to field and batsman reaches first safely. 

(13) Moderately swift ball batted a little to right of shortstop, who 
makes no effort to stop ball. Could have been fielded, apparently, had the 
effort been made. 

(14) Pop fly to second baseman results in collision between shortstop 
and second baseman, causing second baseman to drop ball after having it in 
his hands. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 25 

(iS) In a run-down between second and third, runner is apparently about 
to be touched out when fielder holding ball drops it. 

(16) Foul fly hit to catcher, who, though "set" to take the ball, lets it 
fall through his hands. Batter strikes out on next delivery. 

(17) Batsman reaches second base on the fourth ball, which is a wild 
pitch. 

(18) Scratch hit rolls slowly between pitcher and second baseman. 
Second baseman runs in and endeavors to scoop up ball with one hand, but 
only succeeds in fumbling. Batsman reaches first safely. 

(19) Batted ball hit directly at shortstop takes unexpected bound to left, 

t'ust as shortstop is about to grasp it. Ball is merely knocked down and 
atsman reaches first safely. 

(20) Long fly to outfielder causes outfielder to reach ball with one hand 
after hard run, but he fails to hold it. 

(21) Fair batted ball is hit so sharply to right field that right fielder is 
enabled to throw to shortstop to force runner who had been on first, bats- 
man reaching first base safely. 

(22) Fly to left fielder is dropped, but left fielder recovers ball in time to 
throw to third baseman, forcing runner coming up from second. 

(23) Fly to outfielder goes clear over outfielder's head, though he could 
easily have got under ball had he not stood still. 

(24) Score tied last half of ninth, runner on second base. Batsman 
makes clean drive into fair bleachers and completes circuit. What is length 
of his bit? 

(25) Batted ball hits person of runner between second and third, making 
third out. 

(26) Umpire is hit on foot by batted ball before it touches any fielder. 
Shortstop picks up ball and retires batsman at first. 

(27) Fumble by short allowing batsman to reach first base. Runner on 
second advances to third and is caught by shortstop's throw to third base- 
man, (a) Before he reaches base, (b) After over-running base. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



SACRIFICE HITS AND FLIES 

The amateur scorer frequently has difficulty in determining 
what is and what is not a sacrifice hit or a sacrifice fly. But such 
difficulty can only arise from his insufficient knowledge or under- 
standing of the underlying principles. The chief thing to be 
remembered is that nothing but a bunt that advances a runner 
already on a base can possibly be a sacrifice hit, though all bunts 
are not necessarily sacrifice hits. And only a fly ball caught, or 
that should have been caught and was not caught because of 
error upon the part of the fielder, upon which fly-out or error a 
runner scores from third base, can be a sacrifice fly. 

The code definition of a sacrifice hit limits it to a bunt, made 
when no one is out or when one is out and which advances a 
runner a base even though the batsman himself is put out at 
first base, or would be put out if the ball were handled with- 
out error. 

The code definition of a sacrifice fly limits it to a fly, made 
when no one is out or when one is out and which, if caught, 
results in a run being scored or, in case of an error, would, in 
the judgment of the scorer, have so resulted had the ball been 
caught. 

The amateur scorer often seeks incorrectly to give a batter 
credit for a sacrifice hit whenever he hits the ball in any fashion — 
bunt, full-swing or scratch — and is retired at first but advances 
a runner. Unconsciously, perhaps, he is reverting to the rules of 
two decades ago. In 1890 the sacrifice was first defined as any 
"ground hit or fly which, when but one man was out, advanced a 
runner a base, though it resulted in putting out the batsman, or 
would have so resulted if handled without error." 

This held until 1894, when the kind of hit entitling the bats- 
man to credit for a sacrifice was limited to a bunt. Then, too, for 
the first time, was the batsman relieved of the charge of a time at 
bat when he made a sacrifice hit. The regulations devised then 
have come down practically unchanged to the present day, with 
the addition, in 1908, of the sacrifice fly. 

The main thing, therefore, for the scorer to remember is that 
the sacrifice hit must be a bunt and that it must advance a run- 
ner without the aid of an error. The batter may or may not be 
retired at first base — that makes not a particle of difference ex- 
cept from the standpoint of whether the batter may not be 
rightly entitled to a safe hit instead of a sacrifice. But no scratch 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 27 

hit, nor any hit resulting from a full swing from the shoulder, 
can be credited as a sacrifice hit, no matter how may runners 
may be advanced. 

The point lies in the deliberate, plainly apparent effort of the 
batsman to bunt. The reason for this is that only in the bunt 
does a batter possibly invite a put-out of himself. In all cases 
where he swings- hard at the ball, he is evidently trying to hit the 
ball out and if he fails, he has no right to claim the exemption 
of a time at bat, fixed as the reward of the batter who is willing 
to sacrifice his own batting record for the sake of aiding in scor- 
ing a run. 

Some scorers also have the mistaken idea that no sacrifice hit 
or fly can be credited unless the batsman is actually put out. A 
little reflection shows the fallacy of the idea, not even taking into 
consideration the positive command contained in the rules. Why 
penalize the batsman who has done well his part, because of the 
error of his opponents? 

The discrimination is necessary, however, at the advancing 
runner's end. If that runner would have been put out at the ad- 
vanced base but for the error of the opposing fielder, the batsman 
should not be credited with a sacrifice hit, for he has not fairly 
earned it. Remember that the law directs that the sacrifice is 
earned only when the bunt advances a previous runner and that 
the words : "or would so result if it were handled without error" 
refers to the batsman reaching first base only and not to the run- 
ner reaching his advanced base. 

Scorers must be thoroughly conversant with these fine dis- 
tinctions and carefully watch every play that savors of the sacri- 
fice. For players who fail to get credit in the score for sacrifice 
hits made, or who are charged a time at bat upon a sacrifice hit 
or fly, are apt to show some annoyance. 

PROBLEMS 

(28) On hit-and-run signal batsman bunts, advancing runner from first 
to second and beating throw to catch him at first. 

(29) (a) Runners on third and first when batsman hits long fly to right 
fielder, who makes fly catch. Runner holds third until catch is made, then 
scores, (b) In similar case, right fielder allows ball to drop through his 
hands. 

(30) Runners on second and first when batsman bunts to pitcher. 
Throw to third baseman retires runner advancing from second to third, 
but runner advances from first to second and batsman is safe at first. 

(31) On hit-and-run signal batsman hits ball hard to third baseman and 
is thrown out at first, runner who had been on first advancing to second. 

(32) Runner on second when batsman bunts toward third base. Pitcher 
fields ball and turns to throw to third, but determines that it is too late to 
catch runner coming up from second. Turning to throw to first, he finds 
that it is too late then to catch batsman. 

(33) With runner on second batsman hits fly to right field. Runner 
advances legally to third on the fly-out. 



23 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

(34) Runner on third, batter hits fly to centre field. Runner is thrown 
out at plate trying to score. 

(35) Runner on third and, on squeeze-play signal, batsman bunts to 
pitcher and is thrown out at first, runner scoring. 

(36) (a) Runner on first when batsman bunts to pitcher. Pitcher throws 
to shortstop, which forces runner at second, (b) Shortstop drops throw 
and runner is safe. ... . ,. 

(37) Runners on first and second when batsman bunts to first baseman. 
First baseman deems it too late to catch either runner and batsman has 
crossed the bag before his throw reaches second baseman, who has covered 
first. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



FIELDER'S CHOICE AND FORCE HIT 

To most amateur scorers the Fielder's Choice is a vague some- 
thing, the mysteries of which they are unable to fathom, while 
the Force Hit is often confused with the Force. Neither feature 
should present great difficulties. 

The Fielder's Choice is only vague because it is a sort of un- 
written feature of scoring. Indeed, it may rightly be classed as 
the nearest thing to nonentity included in the general scheme of 
scoring. The scorer should aim to correctly gauge the meaning 
of the term — that done, its application will be a very simple 
proposition. 

A Fielder's Choice is any occasion upon which a fielder has the 
choice of two or more plays, either of which should afford a 
reasonable chance of putting an opponent out. Whether the put- 
out the fielder elects to make actually results or not, has no effect 
upon the character of the play. It remains a Fielder's Choice. 
In practical scoring a Fielder's Choice is entirely disregarded as 
a matter of record, except when it becomes necessary to indicate 
how a batter reached first base unaided by a base-hit, a force, an 
error or a pass. 

The Fielder's Choice almost invariably arises from the laudable 
desire on the part of the fielder to put out a runner farther ad- 
vanced on the base circuit, even though that chance is recognized 
as more difficult than the natural one of retiring the batter at 
first base. 

The Fielder's Choice and the Force Hit are closely allied be- 
cause a Force Hit is always a Fielder's Choice. In other words, 
where a Fielder's Choice is successful, a Force Hit results and 
the batter is recorded as having reached first on the Force Hit. 
When the Fielder's Choice fails, there is necessarily no put-out 
and the batter must be designated as having reached first on the 
Fielder's Choice. 

The difference between the Force Hit and the Force, should be 
clearly understood. The Force Hit embraces all cases where the 
attempt of a batsman results in the put-out of a base runner on 
any base at the time the batsman hit the ball. The Force is 
limited to such put-outs as result from the enforced attempt of a 
base runner to advance. 

To illustrate : A runner may be on second base when the bats- 
man hits to the shortstop. A shortstop may have an easy chance 



30 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

to retire the batsman by the throw to first, but he elects rather 
the chance to retire the runner who had been on second and is 
now trying to either reach third or to regain second in safety. 
The act of the shortstop is a Fielder's Choice. Should his en- 
deavor to put out the runner who was on second prove success- 
ful, the batsman is recorded as reaching first on a Force Hit. 
Should the shortstop's effort prove unsuccessful, the batsman is 
recorded as having reached first on a Fielder's Choice. 

The scorer should be alert in such cases to note whether the 
batter would surely have been out, with perfect play, had the 
effort been directed at him. If it is evident that he would have 
reached first before the ball, or if even reasonable doubt exists, 
the play ceases to be a Fielder's Choice and, if the runner who 
had been on second advances or remains safe on second with 
perfect play directed at him, the batsman must be credited with a 
safe hit. 

Again, let us suppose the runner is on first base when the bats- 
man hits to the shortstop. The shortstop, disregarding the ap- 
parently easy play on the batsman, elects to throw to the second 
baseman to put out the runner going down from first. This also 
is a Fielder's Choice and it is a Force Hit if successful. But it 
is even more — a Force, because the runner who had been on first 
was compelled to make the attempt to reach second base. If the 
runner is fortunate enough to reach second, even despite perfect 
play, the batsman is regarded as having reached first on the 
Fielder's Choice, provided, of course, it is evident that he would 
have been put out at first had the play been directed at him. 

The Fielder's Choice and the Force Hit may arise from any 
kind of effort made by the batsman — a hard .swing, a bunt, a 
scratch, or even a fly. The manner in which the batsman en- 
deavors to hit the ball has nothing to do with the case. The one 
principle upon which the Fielder's Choice centers is the election, 
or choice of the fielder to endeavor to put out a runner farther 
advanced, when it is apparent that the easier chance would have 
been to put out the batsman at first base. 

Nor has the Fielder's Choice any bearing whatever upon 
whether the batsman shall be charged with a time at bat. He 
may, or may not be, governed entirely by the ordinary rules that 
apply to that feature. 

The scorer must also bear in mind that a Force can only 
originate from a fair batted ball not caught on the fly. Nothing 
but such fair batted ball and all bases behind occupied can com- 
pel or force a runner to relinquish his hold upon a base. If a 
runner on a base behind advances under any other circumstances, 
either through ignorance or carelessness, the runner occupying 
the advanced base is not compelled to vacate that base. In case 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 3* 

two runners endeavor to occupy the same base at the same time, 
the one farther advanced is the one legally entitled to the base. 

PROBLEMS. 

(38) Batter hits sharply to second baseman, who is "playing in," as 
runner is on third base. Second baseman has easy chance to retire bats- 
man, but throws to catcher, runner sliding safely under. 

(39) Batsman bunts to first baseman, who throws to shortstop, putting 
out runner who had been on first base. 

(40) Batsman scratches to pitcher, who throws to third baseman, putting 
out runner coming up from second, first base having been unoccupied when 
batsman hit ball. 

(41) Batsman pops up fly to shortstop with first base alone occupied. 
Shortstop drops ball, but recovers it and touches second before runner on 
first can reach bag. 

(42) Batsman hits sharply to shortstop, who touches runner going up to 
third (first base is unoccupied) and throws to first too late to retire 
batsman. 

(43) Batsman hits fly to left fielder, who drops ball, but throws to third 
in time to retire runner going up from second. 

(44) Man on second when batsman attempts to sacrifice by bunting 
toward third base. Pitcher fields ball but, turning to third, he finds no 
one covering. Turning next to first, he finds that the batsman has beaten 
any throw he could make. 

(45) Runner on third when batsman hits sharp, grounder to pitcher on 
line between home plate and first base. Pitcher turns to throw to catcher, 
believing runner on third would endeavor to score, but finds that runner 
remains at third. Turning to first, he finds batsman safe there. 

(46) With bases filled, batsman bunts to second baseman. Force at 
second or put-out at first very easy, but second baseman throws home to 
;ut «ff run. Throw to first is too slow and run scores, all others safe also. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETlfc LIBRARY. 



PUT-OUTS AND ASSISTS 

Crediting the put-outs and assists to which the fielders are 
entitled will keep the scorer pretty well occupied during the 
game. One of the simplest duties apparently, the scorer will find 
that it is easy to go astray unless the watchword "vigilance" is 
nailed to the mast. In the natural order of sequence, the assists 
develop first. An assist must be credited to a fielder who touches 
the ball during a play that finally results in a put-out, or would 
so result had the ball been perfectly handled to the end of the 
play. 

Attention is called to the use of the word "touches" instead of the 
word "handles," which appears in the regular code. The accepted 
definition of the word "handles" in this case has come, by long 
usage, to be "touches" or "whom the ball touches." Were this not the 
case, the fielder who is even involuntarily hit, or brushed, or merely 
touched by the ball would not be given an assist, as has been the 
custom for many years, should the ball continue to some other 
fielder's hands and result in the putting out of the batsman or of a 
base runner. 

This is a feature that must not be overlooked by the scorer. 
To get an assist on a play that results in a put-out or would so 
result unless error prevented, the fielder does not necessarily 
have to handle the ball. If he touches the ball, or if the ball 
touches any part of his anatomy, either voluntarily or involun- 
tarily, he is entitled to an assist. A ball, hard driven from the 
bat, caroms off of the pitcher's shin before he can either side-step 
or raise a protecting hand. If the ball is deflected to the second 
baseman, for instance, who throws to first in time to make the 
put-out, or even should the second baseman make an imperfect 
throw, thus allowing the batsman to reach first base safely, the 
pitcher must be credited with an assist. 

Indeed, it is possible, though hardly probable, that a fielder may 
receive an assist on a fly-out. A fly ball may descend upon a 
fielder, either into his hands or upon some part of his body and 
bound off. If some other fielder is near enough to catch the ball 
before it falls to the ground an assist would have to be given to 
the first fielder, while the second gets credit for the put-out of a 
technical fly ball. It is of importance, then, for the scorer to keep 
in mind that even the involuntary touch of the ball entitles the 
fielder to an assist if the play is completed. 

It is also of the highest importance for the scorer to remem- 
ber that the play does not have to be successfully completed to 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 33 

earn an assist. Naturally, the put-out can only be credited when 
the batsman or a base runner is put out,' but the assists may be 
numerous with never a put-out on the card. 

Fully equal in importance is close attention on the part of the 
scorer, in order that he may be sure he notes every fielder who is 
entitled to fielding credit as the plays develop during the game. 

A put-out should be credited to every fielder who completes a 
play and sometimes even when he does not complete it, for the 
reason that the base runner is out automatically under the rules. 
The tendency is to eliminate the foot-note from the box score. 
Formerly it was the custom to give no credit for a put-out 
unless the put-out was actually made by the player to whom 
credit was given, explaining the shortage in the total number of 
put-outs required by a note at the bottom of the score. Of late 
years, however, about the only foot-notes that have survived are 
those explaining that some base runner has been hit by a batted 
ball, that a batsman has been declared out for illegally batting the 
ball, for batting out of turn, or for illegally stepping from one 
batsman's box to the other as the pitcher is ready to pitch the 
ball. Bear in mind that whenever it is at all possible, the put-out 
should be credited in the regular way. 

For instance : the batter is automatically out if he should bunt 
foul after he already has two strikes. The ball is manifestly not 
fielded, but, as the put-out is classed as a third strike, the pitcher 
should be credited with a strike-out and the catcher should be 
given the actual put-out. Credit the put-out to the catcher also 
in case a batsman bats out of turn. 

And right here the scorer may be charged to grasp the full sig- 
nificance of rule No. 51, Section 1, which declares that the bats- 
man is out if he fails to take his position at the bat in the order 
in which his name appears in the batting list, etc. For con- 
venience sake, let us say that the first batsman on the list is No. 
1, the next No. 2, and so on down to No. 9, in regular sequence. 
No. 5 has just finished his turn at _ bat and, naturally, No. 6 
should come up. But through some misadvertence, No. 7 actually 
steps to the plate. This in itself is not considered an illegal act. 
No illegality is considered to have been committed until batsman 
No. 7 has completed his turn at bat — that is, until he has either 
reached first base or has been put out. Even then the illegality 
is dependent upon the opposing captain having claimed it of the 
umpire and demanded the penalty. The penalty is that No. 6 shall 
be declared out and the ball shall be credited to the catcher, inde- 
pendent of whether No. 7 reached first base or was put out in 
any way, shape or form. The scorer, under these conditions, 
should omit everything that has resulted in connection with No. 
7's turn at bat and substitute the out of No. 6 by the catcher. 
This done, No. 7 returns to bat to take his regular turn im- 



34 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

mediately unless the declared out makes the third of the half, in 
which case No. 7 is the first batsman up in the next inning. 

But an out is not necessarily declared, even though the proper 
batsman does not take his turn. Should the error be detected 
at any time before No. 7 has actually completed his turn at bat, 
No. 6 may be substituted, taking whatever handicap in the way 
of balls or strikes No. 7 may have had at the moment of exchange. 
No. 7 may even complete his turn at bat, and no penalty can be 
inflicted unless the opposing captain demands it before the first 
ball has been pitched to the next batsman. The features for the 
scorer to bear in mind regarding a batsman batting out of the 
proper order are as follows : 

Penalty can only be demanded between the time 
the improper batsman completed his turn at bat and 
before the pitcher delivers the first ball to the next 
batsman. 

Exchange of the improper batsman for the proper 
batsman can be made at any time before the im- 
proper batsman has completed his turn at bat, the 
proper batsman taking upon himself the balls and 
strikes the improper batsman has at the moment the 
exchange is made. 

If the improper batsman has completed his turn 
at bat and the pitcher has begun to pitch to the next 
batsman, no penalty can be demanded and the scorer 
must leave the proper batsman's account blank for 
that round. 

In case of a technical infield fly, the ball may drop to the 
ground absolutely untouched and yet the batsman will be declared 
out. Give the put-out to the fielder who, in your judgment, 
would have caught the fly had the effort been made to do so. 

In case of interference that prevents the put-out being made, 
give the credit in the score to the player who would evidently 
have made the put-out had the interference not prevented. 

An innovation since 1910 is the allowance of an assist and a 
put-out to the same fielder if, during a run-down, he has handled 
the ball previous to the actual put-out. Before this explicit 
declaration in the code, it was considered that the fielder who 
made the put-out received full credit for his entire performance 
during the play, no matter how many times he had handled the 
ball. The rule solons decreed otherwise, however, and if the 
same views continue to hold, it will not be long before we may 
expect the logical outcome — orders to credit a fielder with an 
assist every time he handles a ball during a run-down, even 
though two or three assists to the same same player result 
thereby. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 35 

The scorer should also have clearly in mind the procedure in a 
case already touched upon — when a runner, not compelled to ad- 
vance by a fair batted ball, finds himself upon a base already 
occupied by a preceding base runner. In such cases the runner 
who "came up from behind" is the man properly retired. The 
advanced runner is properly entitled to remain on the base and, 
when two runners are touched by the fielder under such condi- 
tions, the last runner on the bag is the only one out. In case the 
advance has been compelled by a fair batted ball, however, the 
man previously occupying the base has been forced off and is 
retired. 

PROBLEMS. 

(47) Batted ball hits third baseman on leg, caroms off to shortstop, who 
throws ball to second baseman in time to force runner endeavoring to 
advance from first. 

(48) Batsman hits to shortstop and runner, trying to advance to third, 
is caught between bases. Ball is thrown by shortstop to third baseman, to 
shortstop, to catcher, to second baseman, to third baseman, to pitcher, to 
shortstop, who makes the put-out. 

(49) Batted ball glances off second baseman's hands and strikes runner 
advancing from first to second. Both runner and batsman reach bases 
before ball is fielded. 

(50) Batsman has two strikes when he bunts foul fly that is caught by 
third baseman. 

(51) Batsman hits to second baseman who is in act of fielding ball as 
runner advancing from first to second collides, causing second baseman to 
drop ball. 

(52) Batsman hits fly to outfielder, which is dropped. Ball is recovered 
in time to (a) put out previous runner advancing from first to second, by 
throw to shortstop. (b) To put out batsman trying to reach second on 
the hit. 

(53) Ball hit to pitcher who has raced with batsman for first base, beating 
him by narrow margin. 

(54) With two strikes, batsman bunts foul along first base line, (a) Ball 
fielded by first baseman, (b) No effort made to field ball. 

(55) Batsman fourth on list comes to bat when it is No. 3's turn. Im- 
proper batsman has two strikes and two balls when error is discovered and 
batsman is replaced by No. 3. 

(56) Batsman hits fly to right fielder. Ball is dropped, but recovered in 
time to make throw to first base that would have put out batsman had first 
baseman not dropped the throw. 

(57) Batsman hits ball that strikes runner advancing from second to third. 

(58) Batsman No. 6 on list bats after No. 4, and the mistake is not 
discovered until batsman No. 7 is taking his turn at bat. No. 6 has made a 
safe hit and is on second. Demand made that No. 5 shall be declared out. 

(59) Runners on first, second and third and none out when batsman pops 
up a fly over pitcher's slab. Pitcher gives way to first baseman, but neither 
catches ball and it drops to the ground, no runner advancing, with original 
runner and batsman both on first base. 

(60) Run-down between third and the plate brings following exchange of 
throws: Shortstop to catcher, to third baseman, to catcher, to pitcher, to 
first baseman, to third baseman, who drops ball and allows runner to slide 
back safely to third base. Meanwhile, however, a runner who had been on 
first, has advanced to second and to third, so that the runner previously there 
finds the base occupied when the dropping of the ball by the third baseman 
allows him to return safely. Third baseman recovers the ball and touches 
both runners while standing upon the base. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



TIMES AT BAT 

The scorer will find the average player peculiarly sensitive re- 
garding the correctness of his charges for times at bat. While 
the player is keen enough to demand perfection from others in 
every matter that concerns himself, in none is he more keen than 
in the feature of batting record — his ''stock in trade," as he is 
wont to term it. Now the batting record is as much dependent 
upon the times at bat charged up as upon the number of base 
hits credited and, unfortunately, the careless scorer is more apt 
to increase the batsman's number of times at bat than to decrease 
them — a failing that will bring the wrath of the player upon 
his head. 

It is of great importance, therefore, that the scorer shall clearly 
understand and keep ever in mind, when making his extensions, 
just what situations call for an exemption of the batsman from a 
time at bat. These situations are as follows : 

When the batter has — 

Received a base on balls. 

Been hit by a pitched ball. 

Been sent to first because of interference by the 

catcher. 
Made a sacrifice hit. 
Made a sacrifice fly. 

The list does not include many items, nor is the matter at all 
complicated. The chief demand upon the scorer in fulfilling this 
part of his duties correctly, is to "keep his mind upon his num- 
ber." He must neither forget to keep his record so that the 
foregoing exceptions will be plainly apparent in each man's box 
when entitled to them and he must not overlook their presence in 
making the extensions. 

It is because these exemptions are granted that the novice 
wonders greatly why the batter appearing high up on the team's 
list may be charged in the box score with perhaps but two times 
at bat while a batsman lower down in the list may have been 
up four times, or possibly five times. The explanation is very 
simple. The batsman higher up on the list has appeared at the 
plate to take his turn at bat as often as his turn came around in 
natural sequence, but the result of his efforts while at bat will 
include one or more features in the exemption list and con- 
sequently he is extended as technically at bat fewer times than 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 37 

another batter, without exemptions, who might have been ex- 
pected to have been at bat one less time than the batsman higher 
up on the list. 

The reasons for the exemption are fair enough : In the case 
of a "pass" by a base on balls, being hit by the pitcher, or 
getting first by reason of the catcher's interference, the batsman 
has not had a fair chance to earn a base-hit. Consequently there 
is no justice in making his record appear as if he had that chance. 
In the case of a sacrifice hit or fly, the batsman has earned 
the right to exemption by meritorious conduct, as it were. He 
has voluntarily relinquished his fair chance to make a safe hit, 
for the general good to the team the advancement of the runner 
will be and he should not be penalized for doing his duty. 

PROBLEMS. 

(61) Batsman scratches to third baseman and is out at first, runner on 
first advancing to second. 

(62) Batsman bunts to pitcher who throws to shortstop, forcing runner 
advancing from first base. 

(63) Batsman, on hit-and-run-sign, hits sharply between first and second, 
but fails to get ball through. Second baseman fields ball to first, retiring 
batsman, but runner advances from first base to second. 

(64) Runner on third base when batsman sends long, but easy fly to 
left fielder. Left fielder allowed ball to slip through hands, but recovers 
it in time to throw out at second base, runner forced from first. Runner 
on third scores and batsman is safe on first. 

(65) Batsman bunts to pitcher who throws wild to first base. Runner 
on second base scores and batsman reaches second safely. 

(66) Batsman bunts in front of the plate. Catcher fields ball, throwing 
to third base in time to retire • runner advancing from second. Runner 
advances from first to second and batsman is safe on first. 

(67) With runner on third and one out, batsman bunts on "squeeze- 
play" signal. Batsman is thrown out at first, runner scoring from third. 

(68) Batsman bunts to second baseman, who throws to shortstop at 
second. Close play results, on which runner advancing from first is 
declared safe. Batsman is also safe at first. 

(69) Batsman bunts to pitcher, who throws to shortstop apparently 
standing on bag. Shortstop immediately throws to first, putting out bats- 
man. Umpire declares the runner advancing from first base is safe at 
second, as shortstop did not have his foot on the base when acting as pivot 
in supposed double play. 

(70) Batsman is crowded out of box by catcher as runner endeavors to 
steal home from third on regular delivery. Umpire awards batsman first base. 

(71) Batsman flies to right field, advancing runner from second to third. 



38 SPALDING'S ATHL3TIC LIBRARY. 



SCORING OF RUNS 

While the scorer has nothing to do with deciding whether run- 
ners who cross the plate under peculiar conditions are allowed 
to count a run for their side, the scorer must know what the 
umpire is bound to decide according to the rules or he wiU be 
ignorant of the real state of the score. The scorer must bear 
in mind that no run can score that crosses the plate on or dur- 
ing a play in which the third man is either forced out or put out 
before reaching first base. 

Suppose, by way of illustration, that two are out and a runner 
is on third base when the batsman hits to the shortstop a ground 
ball on which the batsman is put out by the throw to first on a 
very close play. The runner who had been on third, having a bet- 
ter start for the plate than the batsman had for first base, is mani- 
festly across the plate before the shortstop's throw that retired 
the batsman is in the first baseman's hands. The run, however, 
cannot count. 

Again, should the play have been varied merely by supposing 
the third out to be a runner forced at second, the runner from 
third could not count a run, though he may have crossed the 
plate perceptibly before the throw from second base completed the 
put-out. 

Double plays also sometimes figure when the side is retired 
thereby. It makes no difference whether the play is merely the 
one out, a double or even a triple play, if the play retires the 
side and the runner crosses the plate during it. The run dees 
not count. 

But the scorer must use discrimination, for there are numerous 
situations when the run does count if the runner crosses the 
plate before the put-out that retires the side is made. For in- 
stance : Two are out with runners on third and second when the 
batsman hits safely to right field. In endeavoring to stretch his 
hit to a two-bagger, he is put out at second base by the right 
fielder's throw to the shortstop. The runner from third base un- 
doubtedly scores, while if the runner from second crossed the 
plate before the ball was "put on" the batsman trying to reach 
second base that run counts. 

Another case in which the run is allowed to count by custom, 
but which is capable of less defense, is that scoring during a 
play that makes the third out, arising from a runner having left 
his base illegally upon a fly catch. To illustrate: A runner is 
on third base and another <:ja second base, with one out, when 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 39 

batsman hits fly to center fielder. The runner on third base holds 
the base until the catch is made, then starts for the plate. The 
runner on second base, however, started to advance the moment 
the batsman hit the ball. The centre fielder's throw to the second 
baseman results in the runner from second being put out before 
he can return. The runner from third is allowed to count his 
run under these circumstances, provided he crossed the plate be- 
fore the out was made at second base. 

Just why this run should be allowed to count is not apparent 
for the reason that the play partakes of the nature of a force, 
just as though the runner were compelled to advance by reason 
oi a batted ball. The fact is, the batted ball has compelled the 
runner to remain where he is until the ball is caught, or, failing 
that — as in this case — to return to the base. Because the direc- 
tion of the force is inverted, it should be no less a force, and, as 
the principle of forces is that the runner is out from the moment 
the play begins, provided it is successfully completed, it is not 
apparent how the run can justly be allowed to score, even though 
the runner does cross the plate before the actual put-out is made. 
And yet custom decrees that the run shall count. 

The different principle involved can be recognized by supposing 
that in this same hypothetical case cited, the runner on second 
base holds the bag until the ball has been caught by the centre 
fielder. Then he endeavors to advance to third base and is put 
out by the centre fielder's throw to the third baseman. It can 
be seen at once that there is no reason why the runner from 
third should not be allowed to score if he crosses the plate before 
the third man was out. There was nothing compulsory about the 
runner from second base advancing and the game was "wide 
open" for any play legitimately made during the period. In the 
other case, however, the other runner has illegally left second base. 
From the moment he left it he was an offender against the rules, from 
which he could only purge himself by his return to second base 
before the ball arrived there. He was plainly forced to return, 
just as the man on first is forced to run to second, under the rules, 
when the batsman hits a fair ball not caught on the fly. 

But until the rule solons recognize the demands of the force 
inverted as well as the force direct, the run under these circum- 
stances will have to be allowed. 

When the third out is made by claiming the put-out on a 
runner who "cuts" a base, the scorer must discriminate between 
whether that "cut" does or does not amount to a force out. If it 
does, no run scored can count even though it may have crossed 
the plate before the out was legally made. The now celebrated 
Merkle decision in the fall of 1907 plainly established this pre- 
cedent. In that case a runner was on third and another on first 



40 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

when the batsman made what would ordinarily have been a safe 
hit, had the runner on first carried out the letter of the rule and ad- 
vanced to second base. That run would have been the winning 
run and the game would have ended then and there, but the 
runner from first base did not deem it necessary to go through the 
formality of advancing to second base. The ball was fielded to 
that base, the runner on first base was declared to have been 
forced and the runner from third base was not allowed to count 
his run. 

Let us suppose, however, that in this same case there had been 
no runner on first base — merely the runner on third and the game 
not at an end when he crossed the plate. The batsman made his 
safe hit and continued around the circuit, cutting second base 
as he proceeded. Suppose the ball was fielded to second base and 
the out demanded, all runs would have counted that crossed 
the plate before such put-out was declared by the umpire. 

Runs cannot be scored and, in fact, no bases run when a batted 
ball hits an umpire or a runner. The only exception to this gen- 
eral rule is when the runners are compelled to advance to allow 
the batsman to take first base. 

PROBLEMS. 

(72) Runner on third and two out when batsman hits to shortstop. 
Runner crosses plate before shortstop's throw puts out batsman at first 
base. 

(73) Runner on third and two out when batsman hits to second baseman. 
Runner crosses plate before second baseman's throw to shortstop forces 
runner trying to advance from first. 

(74) Runner on second and two out when batsman hits safely to left 
field. Runner crosses plate before batsman is retired trying to stretch his 
hit to two bases. 

(75) Runner on third and runner on first, with one out, when batsman 
hits fly to right field. Runner on third holds base until fly is caught and 
crosses plate before right fielder's throw to first base puts out runner 
there, who had left base too soon. 

(76) Runner on third and runner on second, with one out. Batsman 
hits fly to left field. Runner from third crosses plate legally before runner 
from second, legally trying to advance to third, is thrown out at third 
base. 

(77) Runners on third, second and first, with one out when technical in- 
field fly falls through second baseman's hands to ground and ball rolls a 
short distance. Runner on third makes dash for plate and runner on 
second makes dash for third. Runner on third crosses plate before 
runner from second is put out by second baseman's throw to third baseman. 

(78) Bases filled, with none out, when batsman hits short fly to left field. 
Runners have begun to advance when left fielder makes sensational one- 
handed catch. Runner on third touches base after ball is caught and 
crosses plate after ball is relayed to second base, putting out the runner 
there, but before the ball reaches first to complete the triple play. 

(79) Runner on third when batsman hits ball so that umpire is hit by 
batted ball. 

C80) Runners on all bases when umpire is hit by batted ball. 
(81) Runners on third and first with none out when batted ball hits 
runner going down from first to second. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



THE EARNED RUN 

The Earned Run is not a factor in present-day scoring, as con- 
sideration of it was abandoned some years ago. Its various 
aspects during the period it was taken into account will be inter- 
esting to the scorer, however, as it is very possible that this fea- 
ture will soon find its way again into the score sheets. Already 
the signs point to a speedy re-incorporation in connection with 
determining more exactly the merits and demerits of the pitcher, 
for the consensus of opinion is that the present method of charg- 
ing games lost or of crediting games won is not a true indica- 
tion of the pitcher's every day value to his team. 

Away back in the '80's the earned run was first introduced. Its 
definition at that time was as follows : 

An earned run shall be scored every time the 
player reaches the home base unaided by errors be- 
fore chances have been offered to retire the side by 
three men. But bases on balls though summarized as 
errors, shall be credited as factors in earned runs. 
The clearest fown of the earned run at that time was one that 
started on a safe hit, or a base on balis, reached second on 
a safe hit or a force to second by a base on balls, and reached 
third and home in the same way. The counting stopped abso- 
lutely, however, at the moment the side should have been re- 
tired, but was not, by reason of fielding errors. 

At the beginning of the '90's the earned run assumed this 
phase : 

An earned run shall be scored every time the player 
reaches home base unaided by errors before the 
chances have been offered to retire the side. 
The difference was the elimination of the base on balls from 
figuring in an earned run. The run was only earned when batted 
clear around the four bases, but, as in the original definition, the 
account was cut off when the side should have been retired by 
reason of fielding errors. 

Daring the year 1890 it was learned that some scorers had been 
in the habit of including stolen bases in computing earned runs 
and it was deemed wise to promulgate a caution against such 
procedure. The note was appended therefore, that the "earned 
run should not include the data of stolen bases or of bases scored 
in any other way." 

The next year — 1892 — brought more tinkering with the defini- 
tion of the earned run, which appeared in this form: 



42 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

An earned run shall be scored every time a player 
reaches the home base unaided by errors before 
chances have been offered to retire the side. If a 
base runner advances a base on a fly-out, or gains 
two bases on a single hit or on an infield fly-out, or 
on an attempted out, he shall be credited with a stolen 
base, provided that there is a possible chance and a 
palpable effort to retire him. 

The effect of this, it will be seen, was to still further limit the 
number of earned runs. The rules of 1893 returned the earned- 
run definition to exactly the same verbiage as in 1890 and thus 
it remained during 1894, 1895 and 1896. In 1897 one more attempt 
was made to get a definition that gave satisfaction and the result 
was this: 

An earned run shall be scored every time a player 
reaches the home base by the aid of base hits only, 
before chances have been offered to retire the side. 

But the true merits of the pitcher will never be shown by the 
earned run of any definition baseball has yet known, for the 
reason that errors cannot be eliminated simply by a stroke of the 
pen, or by cutting off the account of the pitcher merely because 
errors have prevented the retirement of the side. Errors are 
as much a part of the game to be expected as base-hits and the 
pitcher's merit must be considered from a basis of what he does, 
even against a handicap of errors, as well as what he allows in 
the way of safe hits. The pitcher who can rise superior to errors, 
always more or less discouraging to a pitcher's work, is the 
pitcher who deserves the better rating. Some system of charg- 
ing runs for which the pitcher is responsible, errors or no errors, 
must be considered as the only true test of merit. 

The best test, it would seem, will be to work out a system charg- 
ing the pitcher with all runs secured by his agency, eliminating 
only such runners who would, during the inning have been put 
out on perfect play. Let a possible earned run start on a base 
on balls, a hit-by-the-pitcher, a fielding error by the pitcher or a 
safe-hit. Let that earned run be "alive" until that time when, 
should it come, the runner should have been put out and was 
not by some error other than one of the pitcher. But all other 
runs resulting from additional bases gained by fielding errors 
should be counted against the pitcher clear until the half inning 
ends. Then take the total number of runs for which he has been 
responsible during the season in connection with the times at bat 
of opponents and an average will be gained that will really show 
something. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



DOUBLE PLAYS AND STOLEN BASES 

As strange as it may seem, there had been no specific defini- 
tion of the term "Double Plays" until the code of 1909, when the 
Baseball Writers' Association established this idea regarding the 
Double Play, having it incorporated in the rules: 

A Double Play shall mean any two continuous put- 
outs that take place between the time the ball leaves 
the pitcher's hands until it is returned to him again, 
standing in the pitcher's box. 

It was ample time, in the interests of scoring uniformity, that 
some definition of the term was evolved, for the reason that some 
scorers were placing in the summary as double plays certain 
forms of two continuous put-outs, while others were not classing 
them as double plays. The most convenient illustration is found 
in the attempted steal upon a strike-out. Many scorers would 
class this as a double play if the stealing runner was thrown out 
by the catcher, while just as many others would not regard it as 
such. The truth of the matter is that those who did not, were 
nearer the original conception of the double play than those who 
did, for the double play was originally intended to hinge upon the 
double out arising from a batted ball and from nothing else. 
For instance : If a batter forced a runner compelled to advance 
and was himself thrown out at first, or if a runner was thrown 
out at a base he illegally left upon a fly catch, a double play was 
consummated. The play manifestly hinged upon the batted ball. 

The new idea abandoned that restriction entirely and, if taken 
literally, the scorer must credit as double plays any two outs made 
between the delivery of the ball and the moment when the pitcher 
again holds the ball while standing in his position. 

The proper form of writing down a double play is "Smith, 
Jones and Brown." Many scorers seem addicted to the form of 
"Smith to Jones to Brown," which is not considered correct. 

The Baseball Writers' Association must also receive credit for 
systematizing better than ever before the plan for making uniform 
the scoring of stolen bases. The principal thing for the scorer 
to remember now is that there are important exceptions to the 
general rule that a stolen base is credited to a runner who ad- 
vances a base unaided by a base hit, a put-out, or a fielding or 
battery error. These exceptions are as follows : 



44 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

In the event of a double or triple steal being at- 
tempted, where either runner is thrown out, the other, 
or others, shall not be credited with a stolen base. 

In the event of a base runner being touched out 
after sliding over a base, he shall not be regarded as , 
having stolen the base in question. 

In event of a palpable muff of a ball thrown by the 
catcher, when the base runner is clearly blocked, the 
infielder making the muff shall be charged with an 
error and the base runner shall not be credited with 
a stolen base. 
Conversely, the base runner shall be credited with a stolen 
base in the event of his making a start to steal a base prior to a 
battery error. 

Just how the viewpoint as regards stolen bases has changed in 
thirty years can be judged from the instructions issued in the 80's, 
which were as follows : 

Bases stolen * * * shall be governed as follows: 

Any attempt to steal a base must go to the credit 
of the base runner whether the ball is thrown wild or 
muffed by the fielder ; but any manifest error is to be 
charged to the fielder making the same. If the base 
runner advances another base, he shall not be 
credited with a stolen base and the fielder allowing 
the advancement shall be charged with an error. If 
a base runner makes a start and a battery error is 
made, the runner secures the credit of a stolen base 
and the battery error is scored against the player mak- 
ing it. Should a base runner over-run a base and 
then be put out, he should receive the credit for a 
stolen base. 
In 1891, the late Henry Chadwick, the editor of Spalding's 
Official Base Ball Guide, made the self-explanatory note: "This 
rule sadly needs revision, as it fails to properly describe a stolen 
base." 

The only effect perceptible, however, was the addition in 1893 
of these words : 

If a base runner advances a base on a fly-out, or 
gains two bases on a single base-hit, or an infield 
out, or an attempted out, he shall be credited with a 
stolen base, provided there is a possible chance and a 
palpable attempt made to retire him. 
This addition held for six years — until 1897 — when it was re- 
tired and the instructions restored to the original form of the 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 45 

eighties. But the next year— 1898— the entire section was wiped 
out and there was substituted in its place this brief command : 
A stolen base shall be credited to the base runner 
whenever he reaches the base he attempts to steal un- 
aided by a fielding or by a battery error, or a hit by 
the Datsman. 

So things remained for 11 years, when the Baseball Writers' 
Association took a hand and produced practically the instruc- 
tions that pertain at the present time. 

The scorer will not be allowed to credit a stolen base to a run- 
ner who may take it upon himself to "steal backward." While 
there is nothing prohibitive in the general rules of a runner pro- 
ceeding from third to second, or from second to first, should he 
deem any better strategic position to be gained thereby, stolen 
bases are only credited when the runner "advances." Indeed, 
though the "steal backward" has been occasionally worked in 
years gone by, of late seasons some leagues have instructed 
umpires to disallow such a play. But whether the umpire allows 
it or not, when attempted, the scorer cannot let it affect his stolen 
base record. 

PROBLEMS. 

(82) Runner on first when batsman bunts foul fly which is caught by 
third baseman. Third baseman throws to first baseman, retiring runner 
before he returns to base. 

(83) As batsman strikes out, runner on second attempts to steal third, 
but is thrown out, catcher to third baseman. 

(84) Pitcher catches runner off first base by throw to first baseman 
and he is eventually put out. During the run-down, runner on third 
attempts to score, and throw to catcher puts him out at the plate. 

(85) Batsman flies to left fielder, who throws to shortstop in time to 
catch runner from first trying to reach second. 

(86) Batsman flies out to second baseman, who throws wildly to third 
baseman in effort to catch runner off third base. Runner scores, but 
third baseman returns ball to shortstop, covering third, in time to retire 
runner endeavoring to advance from second. 

(87) Batsman fouls to catcher, who returns ball to pitcher. Pitcher, 
noting runner on first has big lead, throws to first baseman, retiring 
runner. 

(88) With first base only occupied, batsman pops up fly to second 
baseman, who drops ball, but recovers it in time to throw to shortstop, 
who touches bag and throws to first baseman, before batsman reaches base. 

(89) Runner on first starts to second as pitcher delivers wild pitch and 
runner reaches third. 

(90) Runner on second starts for third before ball is delivered. Batsman 
hits to shortstop and is thrown out at first. 

(91) Runner on first starts for second as pitcher delivers ball. Batsman 
fails to hit ball and catcher throws to shortstop, who apparently has 
caught runner until he drops the throw. 

(92) Runner on second endeavors to advance to third, which he reaches 
before third baseman receives catcher's throw. He over-slides bag, how- 
ever, and is touched by third baseman before he can get back. 

(93) Runner on second advances to third when batsman flies to right 
fielder. 



46 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

(94) Runner on first advances to second and keeps on to third, as 
catcher throws to centre field. 

(95) Runner on first starts for second as pitcher delivers ball. Bats- 
man hits cleanly to right and runner continues safely to third. Batsman 
remains at first. 

(96) Runners on second and first endeavor to advance simultaneously, 
but catcher's throw to third baseman puts out runner from second. 

(97) Runners on first and second when catcher has passed ball and 
both advance. Neither had shown any evidence of advancing until passed 
ball occurs. 

(98) Runners on third and first with one out, when runner on first 
advances to second. Catcher throws down and runner on third advances 
to plate, scoring, but runner from first is put out. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 47 



MISCELLANEOUS DETAILS 

The scorer will find it necessary to be thoroughly posted on 
several matters which, while they may be classed among the "un- 
written rules" are none the less important, and without the 
knowledge of which good and uniform scoring is not. 

For instance, should a "hit-by-a-pitched-ball" be the fourth 
ball, the batter is not scored as having been hit by the pitcher, 
but as having reached first on four balls. The reason for this is 
two-fold : It lessens the labor of the scorer and it lessens the 
odium attached to the pitching. It lessens the labor of the 
scorer for the reason that a game rarely passes that a batsman 
does not reach first on four balls, consequently that feature of 
scoring is practically sure to be present. The additional base on 
balls, therefore, can be more readily recorded than can the hit- 
by-the-pitcher, which is rare in comparison with the base on 
balls and it may obviate the opening of an entirely new account, 
as it were, to call such a hit-by-the-pitcher a fourth ball. 

It relieves the odium upon the pitcher, because the hit-by-the- 
pitcher is less prevalent and accordingly more likely to cause the 
pitcher unfavorable notoriety if his account is large. Both 
classes of passes exempt the batsman from a charge of a time at 
bat, so it can be but a matter of indifference to him. 

While touching upon bases on balls, the evolution of the rule 
fixing the number of bad balls necessary for a batsman to "walk" 
to first and the number of strikes necessary to retire the bats- 
man should be familiar to the scorer. 

The earliest codified rules of baseball formulated on December 
12, 1860, do not recognize "bad balls" as they are now known 
and, consequently, there was no such thing as the present day 
"base on balls." The "called strike" was recognized but a called 
strike was evidently distasteful and only resorted to as a last 
recourse. The umpire was instructed to call strikes on the 
"striker," as the batsman was then called, only in case the afore- 
said "striker" stood at the bat "without striking at good balls 
repeatedly pitched to him, for the apparent purpose of delaying 
the game or of giving advantage to a player." In that case, the 
umpire was instructed to warn the "striker" and, after that, to 
call strikes "if he persisted in such action." This was Rule 37, 
and the repeated advice to umpires to enforce the rule is an indi- 
cation that it was more often honored in the breach than in the 
observance. Of course, if the "striker" hit at three balls and 



48 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

missed, he was declared out, if the catcher caught the third de- 
livery so struck out and missed, either on the fly or on the 
bound. If the catcher did not make this catch on the fly or the 
bound, the striker was entitled, as now, to endeavor to reach first 
base before the ball could be fielded there. 

Later in the sixties the "bad ball" was recognized for the first 
time and the "striker" was authorized to "take the first base" 
when three balls had been called. The words "three balls" con- 
veyed a vastly different meaning then than now. The rule read : 
Should the pitcher repeatedly fail to deliver to the 
striker fair balls * * * the umpire, after warning 
him, shall call one ball and if the pitcher persists 
in such action, two and three balls. 

This was construed to mean that before a "ball" was called 
upon the pitcher, he must have pitched at least two practically 
bad balls, after which he should be "warned" by the umpire. 
After the warning, it was necessary for the pitcher to pitch at 
least two more practically bad balls before the umpire could 
ca^ll one technically bad ball. A little mental arithmetic shows 
that the minimum of six what are now termed "balls" had to 
be pitched in those days before the "striker" could take the first 
base on three technical "balls." The fact was, however, that the 
umpire allowed greater leeway habitually, especially in the first 
inning. The pitcher could usually pitch what would now be 
called 9 or more bad balls before the "striker" was privileged to 
"walk" to first base. 

The strike-out rule remained the same, but began to be more 
rigidly interpreted. 

In 1870 the rules were slightly changed so as to exempt the 
first ball pitched by the pitcher from being called either a ball 
or a strike unless the "striker" struck at it and missed. The 
warning by the umpire was also eliminated, thus reducing the 
number of practical bad balls or strikes allowed the pitcher be- 
fore the technical three balls or strikes were completed on the 
"striker." 

In 1873 a material change was made in determining balls. Pro- 
vision was made for what was termed the "wide ball" — that is, 
balls delivered by the pitcher to the "striker" over the striker's 
position or on the ground in front of the home base, or touch- 
ing his person, or out of reach of his bat, or on the side opposite 
to that from which the batsman strikes. Three such "wide balls," 
excepting alone the first ball delivered to the "striker" entitled 
the "striker" to take his first base. The original rule pertaining 
to taking first on bad balls was materially changed also, as it was 
provided that all balls not designated as wide balls and yet not 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 49 

sent over the home base at the proper height, should be called 
"unfairly delivered" in the proportion of one to every third ball 
so delivered. Thus, excepting "wide balls," the "striker" must 
needs have had 9 practically bad balls before being allowed to 
take first on three technically bad balls. 

The strike-out rule remained the same. 

In 1875, the exemption granted on balls and strikes to the 
first ball delivered was abrogated. 

In 1878 the rule pertaining to caned strikes was amended to 
practically allow the batsman four strikes before being called 
out. This was done by instructing the umpire to call "Good 
ball" upon the delivery of the next fair ball after the batsman 
had had two strikes called and upon the next good delivery, the 
third strike. 

The next year — 1879 — saw the bad ball put on the basis it 
occupies to-day and 9 of these bad balls were allowed the pitcher 
before the batsman could "walk" to first base. 

The number of balls was reduced in 1880 to eight, and after 
more or less vicissitudes during the eighties, in 1888 five was fixed 
as the requisite number. In 1889 the qualifying number was re- 
duced to four, where it has remained ever since. 

BALKS. 

The scorer must bear in mind that under the rules now pre- 
vailing the batsman never takes first base on a balk. Only the 
base runners advance on a balk and when no base runners are 
on bases, there can be no technical balk. The rules say that a 
balk shall be: 

1. Any motion made by the pitcher while in posi- 
tion to deliver the ball to the bat without delivering 
it, or to throw to first base when occupied by a base 
runner, without completing the throw. 

2. Throwing the ball by the pitcher to any base to 
catch the base runner without stepping directly 
toward such a base in the act of making such throw. 

3. Any delivery of the ball to the bat by the pitcher 
while either foot is back of the pitcher's plate. 

4. Any delivery of the ball to the bat by the pitcher 
while he is not facing the batsman. 

5. Any motion in delivering the ball to the bat by 
the pitcher while not in the position defined by Rule 
30. 

6. Holding of the ball by the pitcher so long as, in 
the opinion of the umpire, to unnecessarily delay the 
game. 



60 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

7. Making any motion to pitch while standing in 
his position without having the ball in his posses- 
sion. 

8. Making any motion of the arm, shoulder, hip 
or body the pitcher habitually makes in his method 
of delivery without immediately delivering the ball 
to the bat. 

9. Delivery of the ball to the bat when the catcher 
is standing outside the lines of the catcher's position 
as defined in Rule 3. 

It can readily be seen that a balk need not necessarily occur 
from a delivery of the ball to the batsman — the only possible 
way in which it could affect the batsman by being called a 
technical "ball." If a balk is called from causes 1, 2, 7 or 8, it 
is impossible for the batsman to be affected. If from causes 3, 
4, 5 or 9, the batsman is affected if the umpire calls a "ball." 
If it should happen to be the batsman's fourth "ball" he proceeds 
to first base. If from cause 6, the batsman may be affected, for 
while the ball may not be delivered, the umpire is empowered 
by the rules to call a "ball." 

The principal thing for the scorer to remember is that if the 
fourth ball is called on a balk, the batsman is recorded as hav- 
ing reached first base on the fourth ball and not on the balk. 

FIRST BASE ON ERRORS. 
A first base on errors should be scored when the batsman is 
able to start his round by reason of a fielding error made on the 
ball the batsman hit. While strict reasoning might urge a "first- 
on-errors" to be charged when a batsman reaches first base in 
any way after the catcher or other fielder had dropped a foul 
fly offered by that batsman, it is not customary to do so. The 
batsman has practically reached first because that error was com- 
mitted during his term at bat, but it is not classed in the 
province of technical "first-on-errors." So, again, when a bats- 
man forces an advanced runner, but the advanced runner is saved 
by a fielding error, it might be reasoned that a "first-on-errors" 
should be charged, but it is not. The scorer should remember 
that only in case the play is made at first base, on the bats- 
man and on the ball batted by the batsman, is the technical 
"first-on-errors" charged in the score if the batsman is "saved" 
by the commission of a fielding error. 

SUBSTITUTE RUNNERS. 
In case a substitute runner is put in for the runner on the 
score card, the scorer must learn whether the substitute is a 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 61 

temporary man, allowed by permission of the opposing team, or 
whether he is a new player, temporarily or permanently injected 
into the game. The scorer must know, because on that knowl- 
edge depends whether the scorer is to credit any bases stolen, or 
runs scored by the substitute, to the original player or to the 
substitute. 

The substitute runner never appears until the batsman has 
reached at least first base. Should the captain of the batsman's 
team decide for any reason that it will be to the advantage of his 
team to have a runner substituted for him he has two alter- 
natives : 

First — A player already in the lineup may be chosen to do the 
running, but only with the consent of the captain of the oppos- 
ing team. If such a player is chosen and accepted by the oppos- 
ing captain, any bases he may steal or run he may score, are 
credited to the regular batsman whose place he has temporarily 
taken and after the run is scored or the half-inning is closed, the 
substitute goes to his own position, while the player for whom 
he substituted is privileged to return to his former duties. 

Second — A player from the bench, that is, a player who has 
not been heretofore in the lineup, may be substituted for the 
runner. In that case no permission has to be gained from the 
opposing captain, the original runner is out of the remainder of 
the game and the substitute becomes a regular player and as 
such is to be credited with any bases he may steal or the run, if 
he scores. At the conclusion of the half-inning he may take the 
fielding place of the player whom he replaced, or he may, in 
turn, be replaced by another substitute. 

Generally speaking, the scorer may be guided by whether the 
substitute is one of the players already in the lineup. If he is, 
disregard him except for a footnote, which may be made, ex- 
plaining that " ran for in the ■ inning." 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



CREDITING OR CHARGING THE PITCHER 

One of the principal methods for many years of determining 
a pitcher's ability has been by the number of games he has won 
and lost during each season. Dissatisfaction has been growing 
over the fact that this is the principal means of determining so 
important a matter because in many cases it does not represent 
the pitcher's real value. But with that this volume has nothing 
to do. 

No mechanical difficulty presents itself when only one pitcher 
appears for each team, but when two or more pitchers are used 
by one of the teams, the scorer is often puzzled to know which 
may more justly be credited with a victory or charged with a 
loss, as results may compel. No set rules have even been formu- 
lated, for no sec of rules can cover all of the multitudinous aspects 
of games that may develop. The scorer can only be guided by 
common sense in reaching his decision — common sense, added to 
the underlying principles that may be said to govern. Indeed, 
there is more need for the exercise of common sense in this 
particular feature than in any other department of scoring, not 
even excepting that other delicate task, discriminating between 
the base-hit and the error. 

The scorer should take into consideration the following points : 

1. The number of innings each pitcher works. 

2. The comparative state of the score when the 
first pitcher gave way to his successor, the subse- 
quent state of the score during the play and the final 
score. 

3. The number of hands out and the number of 
runners on bases, if any, at the moment when the 
substitution was made, if it occurred in mid-inning. 

With these things in view, the scorer should weigh results at- 
tributable to each pitcher with a view to establishing clearly in 
his own mind which was the more responsible for the final result 
of the game. His recommendation — he can never do more than 
recommend, as the secretary or president of the league compiles 
officially the number of games each pitcher wins or loses during 
the season — should be based on the conclusion he reaches after 
a careful study of all the various aspects of the game. 

Tlhe nearest to a set of rules on the subject that can be 
codified may be formulated as follows : 

If the pitcher who first works has been taken out 
after the fifth inning has been reached, at the close 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

of the half-inning and the score is in favor of his 
team, if the game is won, without being tied at any 
stage of the game, credit the first pitcher with the 
victory. If the game is lost, charge the second 
pitcher. 

If the pitcher who first works has been taken out 
at the -end of a half-inning before the fifth inning 
has been reached, if the number of runs made by 
his team up to that time proves greater than the 
final score of his opponents, credit the first pitcher 
wtih the victory. If the runs made by his team after 
the first pitcher retires were necessary to cause the 
team to win, credit the second pitcher with the 
victory or charge him with the loss, as the final 
result may demand. 

If the pitcher who first works has been taken out 
in mid-inning at any stage of the game, charge any 
runs scored by runners who may be on bases when 
the first pitcher retires, to the first pitcher and then 
compute according to the first or second of the fore- 
going paragraphs, as the case may demand. 

If the first pitcher has been taken out at the end 
of any half-inning whether it is the first or last part 
of the game and the score is a tie, the second pitcher 
is credited with a victory or charged with a loss, as 
the final score may demand. 

If the pitcher who first works has been taken out 
at any stage of the game with the comparative score 
in favor of his opponents, should the game be event- 
ually won by his team, credit must be to the second 
pitcher. Should the game be lost, the first pitcher is 
charged with the loss. The only exception to this 
rule that might be noted is that should the team 
make during its next term at bat sufficient runs to 
either tie or forge ahead, the tie or advantage must 
be credited to the first pitcher, even though a substi- 
tute batsman has been used for him, indicating that 
the pitcher is out of the game entirely. 

If the pitcher who first works retires with the score 
against his team, a second pitcher fails to improve 
conditions and a third pitcher is finally used with 
the result that the game is eventually lost, the charge 
of the loss must be made against the first pitcher who 
worked. If, however, the score is at any time tied 
or his team forges ahead of its opponents, the ac- 
count is supposed to begin afresh from such time 
the score is tied or bettered. 



6^ SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

In this connection the scorer will be benfitted by the rules 
observed by Mr. John A. Heydler, for many years secretary of 
the National League and at one time its president, than whom 
no more eminent authority on properly crediting or charging 
pitchers can be quoted. Mr. Heydler gave his views on the 
subject to the author of this volume a short time ago and they 
are herewith printed for the first time : 

A pitcher relieving another must have an abso- 
lutely equal chance, in fact, he is entitled to any shade 
of benefit, as he is the only player not warmed or 
keyed up to contesting edge. 

If he finds runners on the bases when he takes 
command and he cannot prevent them from scoring, 
these runs must be charged to his predecessors. 

If he starts on equal innings with the score a tie, 
the preceding pitcher is eliminated. It is a new game, 
so far as the new pitcher is concerned. If this 
occurs in the eighth inning, his team may win for 
him in the very next inning. That is his fortune, 
for he could lose in that one inning just as easily. 
This method often appears unjust to the man who 
pitched the greater part of the game, but in the long 
run of the season these short-game credits usually 
equalize themselves. I lean toward the pitcher who 
is always around and ready to jump in and save a 
game. 

Here is one that does look bad : A sixteen-inning 
game with the final score 1 to 0. In the twelfth in- 
ning the first pitcher has been taken out to allow a 
substitute to bat. The game goes for four innings 
and the second pitcher gets credit for the game. A 
hardship for the first pitcher, no doubt, but how 
about the opposing pitcher, who is also "there" for 
15 innings and he may have lost by some fluke in 
the sixteenth? Fine work for a "zero" in the aver- 
ages. But these are isolated cases. The rule is 
for the many. 

Another muchly discussed matter is the award of 
the game to a pitcher who is retired with a score in 
his favor. I seldom give the first pitcher credit for 
winning unless he has pitched at least five innings. 
I make an exception, of course, where the score is 
overwhelmingly in his favor in the first few innings 
and his retirement is plainly to save h»n? £*«* 
another game. In such cases I weigh all the con- 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 56 

ditiqns and usually rely on the judgment of the 
. official scorer who is on the ground and knows all 
the circumstances leading up to the pitcher's retire- 
ment. Where a pitcher is relieved by a substitute 
batsman, I usually give him the benefit of the bats- 
man's work and I also endeavor to give the retiring 
pitcher, an inning of batting for every inning he 
pitches. For instance : He is taken out after pitch- 
ing seven innings against the visiting team. He is 
then entitled to the result of his team's turn at bat 
in that inning. 

The scorer is advised not to bother with this question any 
more than he is disposed from curiosity, as the doom of the 
"games won and games lost" system is already sealed and in a 
very short time this will be but a disquieting memory— a night- 
mare of past seasons. 

PROBLEMS. 

(99) Pitcher removed in eighth with score 5 to 3 in his favor, two out 
and bases filled. Next batter makes a hit and ties score. Game is finally 
won by first pitcher's team, 6 to 5. 

(100) First pitcher has pitched six innings when he is compelled to retire 
because of being hit on the arm by opposing pitcher while at bat. Score ia 

3 to 2 in his team's favor when he retires. Second pitcher allows one run 
in seventh inning, tying the score, and worked until the fourteenth inning, 
when his team won, 4 to 3. 

(101) Pitcher who first worked is ordered out of game by the umpire at 
the end of the sixth inning, with score 2 to o in his favor. Second pitcher 
works until the end of the ninth, when he retires with score 2 to 2. Third 
pitcher works for two innings and game ends 3 to 2 in his favor. 

(102) First pitcher was taken out at end of fourth inning, with score 4 
to against him. Second pitcher succeeds in having score tied in eighth 
inning, but his team eventually loses, 9 to 5. 

(103) First pitcher is taken out at end of second inning with score 2 to o 
in his favor. Second pitcher works for seven innings and final score is 5 to 
1 in his favor. 

(104) First pitcher retires at end of third inning with score 4 to 3 in 
his favor. Second pitcher works for six innings and final result is 7 to 5 
in his favor. 

(105) First pitcher retires at end of sixth inning with score 3 to 2 against 
him. Second pitcher retired by umpire during eighth inning with score 5 to 

4 in his favor. Third pitcher works remainder of game, which ends 6 to 5 
against him. 

(106) First pitcher retires at end of fifth with score 1 to in his favor. 
Second pitcher retires at end of seventh with score 3 to 1 against him. 
Third pitcher finished game, which results 4 to 3 in his favor. 

(107) First pitcher retires in middle of sixth, with score 4 to 3 in his 
favor. Only one is out and two runners are on bases. Both runners score 
before side is retired. Game is finally won, 7 to 5. 

(108) First pitcher is retired at end of first inning with score 9 to o in 
his team's favor. Second pitcher finished full game, final score 14 to 8 in 
his favor. . 

(109) First pitcher retired in middle of first inning with score 3 to o 
against him. Second pitcher retires at end of eighth with score 14 to 3 in 
his favor. Third pitcher pitches last inning and game ends 14 to 6 in his 
favor. 



56 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



ABRUPT TERMINATIONS 

Occasionally the scorer finds himself up against the unusual 
problem of whether to include or omit from the score the hap- 
penings of the uncompleted portion of the last inning or half- 
inning, when play has been abruptly stopped mid-inning by the 
elements, or by previous agreement. 

A "regulation" game is supposed to naturally extend at least 
nine full innings, but in case the home team — almost invariably 
the last team at bat — has made more runs in its eight turns at 
bat than its opponents have in their nine, the eight and one-half 
innings are conceded to be a full nine-inning game. Should the 
nine complete innings be played and the two teams remain a tie, 
it is customary to continue play until one team or the other 
forges ahead on even innings, or the umpire decrees that play is 
no longer advisable. Though tie games can not, of course, count 
as games won or lost in the cumulative standing of teams, every 
act is retained in the permanent record of the players taking part. 
The detailed score of a tie game is just as important from the 
scorer's standpoint as that obtained from one that goes to a 
definite decision. 

The game may not last nine, or even eight and one-half in- 
nings and yet be regarded as "regulation." "No game" is de- 
clared if a contest is less than five full innings' duration, or — 
taking into account the same principle that shortens the nine- 
inning game to eight and one-half — unless four and one-half 
innings have been played. 

The third provision of Rule 22 makes it possible to stop a 
game before the minimum of five, or four and one-half innings, 
has been reached, "if the game be called by the umpire, on ac- 
count of darkness, rain, fire, panic or for other causes which put 
patrons or players in peril." In case of abrupt stoppage before 
the game has extended -the legal limit, the umpire must postpone 
play for a maximum of 30 minutes. If in his judgment play can 
proceed then, or at any time previous to that limit, well and 
good. If not, the contest is over. 

The scorer need not preserve any record of games that do not 
extend to the regulation limit. Should a game last for four and 
two-thirds innings under conditions that make it necessary for 
five full innings to be played, it is "no game" and the individual 
records taken are not made permanent. It is the "regulation" 
game that ends abruptly mid-inning or during or at the end of 
the first half of an inning that calls for discretion as to whether 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 57 

the record made since the conclusion of the last even inning shall 
be erased or shall remain as it stands. 

The general and only rule on the subject is Rule 25, which 
reads as follows : 

If the umpire calls the game in accordance with 
Rule 22, Section 3, at any time after five innings 
have been completed, the score shall be that of the 
last equal innings played, except that if the side 
second at bat shall have scored in an unequal num- 
ber of innings or before the completion of the un- 
finished inning, at least one more than the side 
first at bat, the score of the game shall be the total 
number of runs each team has made. 
Concisely, this means that if the side last at bat is ahead when 
the game is called, even though the team has not had its com- 
plete turn at bat, the score is retained up to the last second of 
play. Conversely, if the team last at bat is behind in the com- 
parative score, all of the unfinished inning is wiped off the slate. 
It has been the custom, however, to construe the rules broadly 
enough to include a tie. That is, if the team last at bat suc- 
ceeds in tying the score during the portion of the inning played, 
the score shall remain a tie and every individual record stands, 
rather than to allow the score to revert to the last even innings, 
if such reversion would cause the team last at bat to lose. 

PROBLEMS. 

(no) First team at bat scored one run in early part of game, and com- 
pleted its half of sixth with score i to o in its favor. During last half of 
sixth team last at bat scored one run, tying score and with no one out, 
rain stopped game. . . • 

(m) Team first at bat had been blanked for 7 innings. Team last at bat 
began last half cf seventh with score 3 to o in its favor. During seventh 
it scored one run and, with one out and three on bases, game was called by 
previous agreement to stop at a certain time. 

(112) Team first at bat begins sixth inning with score 4 to 5 against it, 
but makes three runs in its half, putting score 7 to 5 in its favor. Team 
last at bat scores no run and two are out when rain stops game. ; • 

(113) Team first at bat has score of 3 to 2 against it at end of eighth 
inning. It scores two runs in first half of ninth, making score 4 to 3 in its 
favor at beginning of last half of ninth. Team last at bat scores one run, 
tying score, and has one runner on base with one out when rain stops play. 

(114) Team first at bat ends seventh turn at bat with score 4 .to 3 in its 
favor. Team last at bat scores one run with two out in last half ot seventtt 
when darkness causes play to stop. ' # . 

(us) Team first at bat begins seventh inning with score 8 to o in its 
favor and adds three more runs in first half of seventh making score 1 1 to 
o in its favor. Team last at bat scores nine runs in its half of seventh, has 
bases filled and one out when play is stopped by previous time agreement 

(116) Team first at bat begins seventh inning with score 3 to 2 in its 
favor/adding one more run in first half of seventh, making sc ore 4 to 2 in 
its favor. Team last at bat scores two runs, and game is called on account 
of rain, with none out and none on bases. 



68 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



MAKING UP THE BOX SCORE 

The scorer should provide himself before play begins with a 
scorer's blank book, a blank score sheet and either a fine-pointed 
fountain pen in good working order or a couple of "hard" 
pencils, well pointed. If pencils are used, it would be well to 
have handy the means of renewing a broken or dulled point. 
The scorer cannot expect to do good work mechanically with im- 
proper or inferior tools, any more than the player can do good 
work unless provided with suitable bat, glove and shoes. 

The correct lineup of both teams and position of players should 
be learned and filled in the proper lines on the score blank before 
play begins. If two players appear with names spelled exactly 
alike, they should be distinguished by their initials or by their 
entire first names, if necessary. This is important. Do not fill 
in the names on the box score sheet until after the game is over, 
or at least until near its end, for the reason that changes may 
occur up to the last minute — changes that would jeopardize both 
neatness and accuracy were the lines already filled in. The 
scorer should be thoroughly prepared in all these details before 
the first batter comes to bat, so that he can fix his entire atten- 
tion upon the play from the time it begins until it ends. 

Scorers will find that Spalding's Official Base Ball Score Book, 
devised by Mr. Jacob Morse and the system set forth in it for 
recording plays in the briefest intelligent form, will be what he 
needs for perfect mechanical work. The scorer should go about 
his duties with the same idea as the stenographer — to record 
matters he should record in the briefest, quickest way possible 
and yet so clearly that he can refer to his records years after- 
ward and be able to detail how each player performed during that 
game at bat, on bases and at his position. 

Every base a player reaches from the time he steps up to the 
bat and either scores or is "left," must be clearly set forth. Even 
the direction in which the batsman hits the ball should be re- 
corded. Every fly ball and ground ball should be distinguished. 
Every "out" should be located and if two or more fielders have 
a hand in it, even the sequence in which those fielders figure 
should be easily comprehended. If an error occurs, not only the 
player who made the error and the particular kind of misplay — 
that is, dropped fly or throw, fumble or bad throw — but the prog- 
ress of the play up to the time the error was committed should 
be shown. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 69 

The efficient scorer will find that his duties are not light, even 
mechanically. Satisfied that he is correctly posted on what player 
is at every position and on what player is at bat every moment 
of the game, he should follow the course of the ball to gain a 
correct understanding of how the batsman is either retired or 
reaches first and, when one or more runners are on bases he 
should have an eye to them to note their advancement. Every 
bit of play that requires recording should be set down immedi- 
ately. Delays are dangerous for many reasons. 

Until the scorer has gained mechanical proficiency by experi- 
ence it is not advisable for him to take up the box score sheet 
until the play is entirely over. Far better at the start for him to 
concentrate his attention upon recording every detail in the score 
book and to fill out the box score sheet in its entirety at his 
leisure from the score book. The first step toward simultaneous 
work of this sort may be taken in recording upon the box score 
sheet such features as extra base hits, passed balls, double or 
triple plays, first base on errors, batters given bases on balls or 
struck out, wild pitches and balks, the names of the umpires and 
the score by innings. 

Error is liable to creep in if the scorer attempts, until he has 
thoroughly mastered the art, to record on his box score sheet as 
the game progresses the times each batter has been at bat, base 
hits or runs and the number of put-outs, assists and errors for 
each fielder. Far better to leave these details for careful reckon- 
ing later, in quietude and without haste. It is not impossible for 
the expert to have his box score entirely completed with absolute 
correctness a moment after the final play, but we would advise 
that such feats should be left for occasions when necessity makes 
them compulsory. 

In the accompanying tables the endeavor has been made to 
show procedure and what should be accomplished, rather than 
any particular method of accomplishment. In order that the 
beginner may understand, all recognized expert symbols have 
been discarded and plays have been registered either by im' : als 
or by base numbers, with a view of calling attention t the 
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62 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

First Inning — The scorer has to begin with, only his blank 
page in the score book. Before the game begins he has entered 
the lineup, with the position of each man on both teams. Origin- 
ally the names of the Oriole team extended only as far as 
Adkins. The Ex-Orioles went no farther than Hoffer's name. 
The Orioles bat first. As play is called, glance at the watch and 
note the exact time. Glance at the Ex-Orioles in the field and 
see that the positions and names are recorded correctly. Another 
glance assures that Hall is up, as should be. He strikes out. 
If you are extending your put-outs on your score book immedi- 
ately, indicate the put-out for the catcher by means of a dot. Do 
not fail to record in the summary of the box score sheet the 
credit of a strike-out for Hoffer and that it was Hall who struck 
out. Kelly makes a single to left and would have been put out 
trying to stretch the hit to a double had not Doyle dropped Kelly's 
throw. The single should be properly marked in the B. H. 
column, showing by the exponent that it was made in the first 
inning. Note that Kelly gets an assist, extending it at once, if 
you are pursuing that method, by means of the regulation dot. 
Extend also immediately the error against Doyle, indicating by 
the exponent that it occurred in the first inning and by the 
"D-T" that it was a dropped throw. O'Hara scratches in front 
of the plate, permitting the catcher to field the ball to the third 
baseman, who puts out Kelly going up from second. O'Hara is 
accordingly marked as having reached first on a Force Hit, to be 
left on first when Hearne fouls out to the catcher. 

Now that the half inning is over, if you have not previously 
extended them, "post up" the put-outs and assists to the Ex- 
Orioles who made them. When you have done this, always 
prove the account by adding the total number of put-outs— in this 
case, three. Any more or any less will show that there is an 
error somewhere, which should be corrected before the next 
half-inning starts. 

As the Orioles have now taken the field, note whether each is 
stationed at the position for which he is recorded on the score 
book. See also whether Keeler is the first at bat, as recorded. 
He is "saved" by a fumble by Hunter. Mark the "nrst-on-errors" 
at the proper place in the summary of the box score sheet. Hall 
makes an unexpected catch of Gleason's difficult fly and Keeler 
is doubled up by the throw to first base. Mark the double play 
in the summary. Kelley dies, pitch to first. Credit up at once 
the put-outs and assists to the Orioles resulting from the half 
and prove by addition the correctness of the put-outs. 

Second Inning — Look over the fielding stations and at the man 
at bat for changes. For the Orioles, Hunter singles to centre, 
but is forced by Dunn's ground hit to short Burrell singles to 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 63 

centre, and Dunn reaches third as the third baseman drops the 
throw of the centrefielder, relayed by the shortstop. As this is 
another of those apt-to-be-overlooked cases of uneffective as- 
sists, the ce.- f refielder and shortstop would better be credited an 
assist at one, also charging the error against Reitz. Beach 
forces Burrell, second to short and soon afterward Dunn is 
caught between third and the plate, on an attempted double 
steal, catch, to pitch, to third, to catch. Note that the catcher 
gets an assist, and a put-out also on the same play, and that 
Beach, even though he probably succeeded in reaching second 
base, is not to be credited with a stolen base, but is regarded 
as having been left on first. Extend your put-outs and the assists 
not already extended, making sure that the total put-outs tally 
six. Examine each position as the teams change to see that no 
substitutions have been made. 

Doyle, the first batter up, draws four balls and is sacrificed to 
second by Brodie, who bunts to third and is thrown out at first. 
Reitz grounds out, second to first, advancing Doyle to first, 
where he is left on Clark's ground out, short to first. As soon 
as Brodie made his sacrifice hit, it should have been credited to 
him in the summary of the box-score sheet, where the base on 
balls to Doyle had been just previously set down. There remains 
now to extend the three put-outs and the three assists, making 
the correct tally of put-outs six to date. The runner left on base 
should also be added to the summary. 

Third Inning — Examine the fielders and the batsman for 
changes as usual. Adkins begins by bunting safely toward third 
and he is sacrificed to second by Hall, who goes out first to 
second, who covers the bag. Kelly strikes out. (Place both 
sacrifice and strike-out in the summary at once.) O'Hara gets 
four balls (Charge Hoffer a base on balls in the summary), but 
is forced by Hearne. Add the. two men left on bases at the 
proper place in the summary and credit the put-outs and assists. 
There should be nine put-outs to date. 

For the Ex-Orioles Robinson opens with a single to centre 
and Hoffer sacrifices. (Credit the sacrifice in the summary at 
once.) Keeler singles to left, sending Robinson to third, from 
where he scores and Keeler takes second, on a passed ball. 
(Charge Hearne with a passed ball at once in the summary.) The 
next two men strike out. Add the one man left and extend the 
put-outs, noting that the total put-outs must be nine. Do 
not overlook the necessity for crediting Adkins with the two 
strike-outs he has earned. 

Fourth Inning — Don't forget to look over the various stations 
for changes. Hunter starts on a hit by a pitched ball. Charge 
this at once against the pitcher in the summary. Dunn sacrifices, 



64 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

which also should be recorded in the summary at once. Burrell 
hits to the shortstop, whose throw to third puts out Hunter, 
trying to advance. Burrell steals second (credit the stolen base 
at once in the summary) and reaches third on Beach's short 
single to centre. Both are left as they stand, when Adkins 
grounds out to the pitcher, who throws to first. Tab up the 
two men left on bases, extend the three additional put-outs and 
the assist, noting that the total put-outs must number 12. 

Look over the various positions, as usual. For the Ex- 
Orioles, Doyle strikes out (put it in the summary at once), 
Brodie grounds to the pitcher and is thrown out at first. Reitz 
gets a base on balls (charge it in the summary at once) only to 
be caught trying to steal. Extend the three put-outs and the 
two assists, noting whether the total number of put-outs is 
still correct. 

Fifth inning. As usual keep the eyes doing sentinel duty so 
as to note any fielding changes the moment made. Hall begins 
by scratching safely toward second, but is caught trying to steal. 
Kelly is easy, second to first, and, though O'Hara singles to 
centre, he is also caught trying to steal. Extend the three put-outs 
and assists, making the correct total of put-outs now 15. 

Look at the Orioles as they take their positions. The Ex- 
Orioles go out in one-two-three order, without any feature of 
note. 

The beginning of the sixth inning rewards the vigilance of 
the scorer in watching for changes in fielding positions. Gleason 
and Doyle have changed places. Though often done, the scorer 
should not confuse the field chances of either man in one of 
his positions with the chances of the same man in the other 
position. In other words, Doyle, second baseman, is to all 
intents and purposes another individual when he becomes Doyle, 
shortstop. The careful scorer will accordingly see that when 
one fielder occupies more than one fielding position during the 
same game his put-outs, assists and errors are kept separated 
for each position so occupied. It can best be done on the score 
book by dividing the space allotted to the fielder as in the ac- 
companying plate. Hearne, batting first, is passed on four balls 
(charge against pitcher in summary) only to be forced by 
Hunter. Hunter is also forced, as Dunn sends a short fly into 
right that seems likely to be caught. That the ball dropped 
safely does not give Dunn a safe hit, for Hunter is easily forced 
at second by the right fielder's throw at that base. Burrell flies 
to right. Tab up the one runner left and extend the three new 
put-outs, and the new assists, making 18 put-outs in all. 

For the Ex-Orioles, Keeler dies on a grounder to short, 
Gleason bunts safely toward third and goes to second on Kelley's 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 65 

out, third to first. Doyle comes up with a three-bagger (mark 
down a three-base hit for Doyle in the summary at once), scor- 
ing Gleason. Doyle himself scores on Brodie's bunt toward 
third — so unexpected that it proved the effective thing. Brodie 
is later caught trying to steal. Extend the put-outs and assists. 

Seventh inning. Beach pops a fly to Hoffer. Adkins is given 
a life when Brodie drops a fly in his direction. (Put down at 
once the error for Brodie, indicating the dropped fly and also 
record the "first on error" in the summary. Adkins takes sec- 
ond on a balk, which should be charged against the pitcher in 
the summary immediately. Hall grounds out, short to first, 
but fails to advance Adkins. Adkins scores, however, on Kel- 
ly's three-bagger to left. (Credit Kelly with a three-base hit 
in the summary at once.) O'Hara follows with a single to left, 
that scores Kelly. Hearne's short single to right only gets 
O'Hara as far as second and both are left in their tracks when 
Hunter grounds out to first, unassisted. Add the two men left 
on bases and extend the three new put-outs and assists. The 
total put-outs should. now be 21. 

The Ex-Orioles' half presents no feature of special note. 

Dunn opens the first half of the eighth with a single to left 
and takes second on a wild pitch. (Charge up the wild pitch.) 
Burrell doubles to centre, scoring Dunn. The two-base hit should 
be credited to Burrell in the summary at once. A passed ball 
puts Burrell on third (charge up the passed ball) before Beach 
draws four balls (charge against Hoffer at once). Adkins singles 
to right, scoring Burrell and sending Beach to third. Hall draws 
four balls (charge Hoffer in the summary), which moves Ad- 
kins along to second and Kelly's sacrifice fly scores Beach and 
allows Adkins to reach third on the throw-in. Credit for the 
sacrifice fly should be given Kelly in the summary at once. 
O'Hara and Hall are doubled and the double play should be 
recorded in the summary at once. Add the one man left on 
base and extend the three put-outs and the assists. The put- 
outs now total 24, if correctly extended. 

Keeler opens with a two-bagger to right, which should be 
set down in the summary at once. Gleason is given_ four balls 
and a double steal ensues. Burchell replaces Adkins in the 
box. The scorer should indicate how many runners are on 
bases and on what bases they are, when the change of pitchers 
occurs mid-inning. In this case the "X" indicates that Keeler 
was on third and Gleason on second when Burchell stepped to 
the mound. Burchell, in endeavoring to catch Keeler off third 
base, throws just badly enough to allow Keeler to score and 
thereby gets an error, even though Gleason, trying to gain third 
on the play, is out. The next two batsmen strike out, which 
should be put to Burchell's credit in the summary. 



66 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

The last inning, for the Orioles starts out with a safe scratch 
to the pitcher by Hearne, and he scores when Hunter places 
a home run in far right field. Credit Hunter with a home run 
in the summary immediately. Dunn is hit by the pitcher (charge 
Hoffer in the summary). Burrell flies to centre. Beach grounds 
out to first, unassisted, allowing Dunn to advance to second. 
Burchell gets four balls and, with Dunn, a double steal is exe- 
cuted. (Charge the base on balls and credit the stolen bases in 
the summary.) While Hall is at bat, Robinson muffs a foul 
fly and is charged with an error at once, even though Hall 
is out on the next ball delivered, third to first. Credit the put- 
outs and assists, noting that the correct number of put-outs must 
be 27. Add in, also, the two runners left on bases. 

Brodie begins the last half inning of the game with a base 
on balls, which should be charged at once against Burchell, as 
should also the wild pitch that allows Brodie to reach second. 
Reitz strikes out and it should be credited to Burchell at once, 
even though Hearne drops the ball and is compelled to make 
the throw to first. Clarke hits to Beach, who makes a bad throw, 
allowing Brodie to score and Clarke to reach third. Extend 
the error at once and charge the balk which allows Clarke to 
score, at once against Burchell. Robinson gets four balls — 
another charge to be made at once against Burchell. Hoffer 
should bat next, but he drops out in order to allow Brouthers 
to come up. Brouthers drives the ball between first and second, 
but Robinson, who is running down, cannot avoid being hit by 
the ball and is automatically out. The play has to be "starred." 
In other words, no fielder can be given the put-out, and the 
total number of put-outs for that side must remain one short 
in consequence. It must also be remembered by the scorer that 
Brouthers receives credit for a safe hit — a single — under the 
circumstances. A base on balls to Keeler (don't forget to 
charge it and the wild pitch that follows). Brouthers is now 
on third and Keeler on second. Gleason hits the ball into the 
right-field bleachers. As the score is 7 to 6 when this feat is 
performed, only two more runs are necessary to win, which 
are scored when Keeler crosses the plate from second base. 
Gleason, therefore, can only get credit for a two-base hit, as 
the game ends when he has touched second base and he has 
thus driven Keeler ahead of him, as it were, two bases — the dis- 
tance required to cross the plate with the winning run. Note 
the moment play is over by the same watch used previously and 
record elapsed time. The one put-out of the half should be 
extended and the score-sheet will be short two of the regular 
number of put-outs — one for the runner hit by the batted ball 
and the other because but two were out when the winning run 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 67 

crossed the plate. A foot-note covering both unusual features 
must be made, as well as another note that Brouthers batted for 
Hoffer in the ninth inning. 

The scorer will now find that his extensions can be readily 
made. Running across the work of each batter, he can distin- 
guish at a glance whether the batsman should not be charged 
technically with a time at bat. Keeler's base on balls in the 
ninth cuts his total down to four. Gleason's base on balls in 
the eighth has the same effect. Kelly's goes as it stands, but 
Doyle's base on balls reduces his total to three. Brodie's total 
is reduced to two by reason of a sacrifice and a base on balls, 
and so down the list. Add the extensions and prove whether 
the work is correct in a very simple way. The total of the 
at-bat column must equal the actual number of times the bat- 
ters of each team have been at bat, less the total of the passes 
and sacrifices recorded. If it does not, the error is in either 
the times at bat, or in the sacrifice hits or other particular ex- 
emptions. In this case, for instance, the entire nine batsmen 
show that each was actually at bat 4 times — or 36 — and two 
over — 38 in all to face the pitcher. The exemptions are sacri- 
fices, bases on balls and hit-by-pitched ball. We find that Adkins 
and Burchell together allowed 6 passes and that two sacrifices 
were made by the batsmen under consideration — in all, 8 ex- 
emptions. Deducting 8 from 38, we have 30, the number of at- 
bats already figured out. So it is safe to believe that there is 
no error. 

So, to prove the correctness of the at-bat figures for the 
other team, we find that the nine men were at bat five times each 
and one over — total, 46. The passes are two hit batsmen, 5 bases 
on balls and 3 sacrifices — a total of 10. Deducting 10 from 46, 
we have 36, the number already found by extension. 

The extension of the runs is a simple proposition, but the 
scorer should not, through carelessness, allow the footing of the 
run columns to differ from the extensions of his runs-by-innings 
in another part of the box score sheet. The base hits should 
be already in shape to foot up, as they have been extended at the 
time each was made by the batsman. The put-outs are in the 
form of dots, in each player's space. Add up the dots in each 
space and mark the result in plain figures. Perform the same 
office with the assists. The errors should already be in shape, 
just as the safe hits. 

The scorer is now ready to transfer the results of his score 
book to the box score sheet, but before doing so he may as 
well prove one other feature susceptible of proof — the number 
of runners left on bases. The scorer should have a record of 
the runners left on bases, either on his score book or on his box 



68 SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

score sheet, jotted down at the close of each half inning. To 
prove whether his work is correct, take the number of actual 
(not technical) batsmen as already found and subtract the sum 
of the put-outs and runs scored. For instance : The Orioles had 
46 men actually at bat, as was ascertained previously. They 
made 7 runs and 27 of them were put out — a total of 34 men 
accounted for. Deducting 34 from 46, we find that 12 must have 
been left on bases. Taking up the other side, 38 men faced 
the pitcher. Eight of these crossed the plate, and 26 were put 
out — 34 in all — leaving 4 who must have remained stranded on 
bases. The box score sheet should appear like the accompanying 
one on the opposite page when completed 

It will be noted that two lines are used for the one player 
when he has had to switch from one position to the other, as 
Gleason and Doyle in this game. The only other thing neces- 
sary to impress is the necessity of care in copying. In the 
matter of the pitchers' summary, for instance, in an eight a»d 
one-half-inning game, the scorer who is careless will allow 
himself to say that each pitcher has pitched 9 innings when one 
has pitched but 8. So when two or more pitchers appear for 
one or both of the two teams, the scorer should take care that 
the total of the work of the two or more pitchers is exactly the 
total of the various corresponding items as they appear in the 
"box" above, or in the summary beneath. 

In transcribing from the score book, set down the figures for 
each player, but do not copy the totals. Rather make the addi- 
tions independently from the figures copied, thus giving a check 
on the correctness of the transcription. Be sure especially that 
the put-outs total the required number -for a game of the length 
the score by innings indicates, and, if they do not, see that the 
reason is adequately explained by the foot-notes. 

If the game is shortened for any reason, a foot-note should 
explain why. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 



APPENDIX 

ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS 



ON BASE-HITS AND ERRORS, 
(i) Charge error against shortstop. 

(2) Credit batter base-hit. 

(3) Charge third baseman an error. 

(4) Credit batsman with a hit. 

(5) Charge infielder with an error. 

(6) Credit batsman with a safe hit for as many bases as he gains. 

(7) Credit batsman with a safe hit. 

(8> Credit batsman with a safe hit for one base. 

(9) Charge infielder who made throw with an error. (Throws from com- 
paratively short range are supposed to be on a line. The fact that 
the ball touched the ground makes it an imperfect throw.) 

(10) Credit batsman with a safe hit. 

(11) Credit batsman with a safe hit. 

(12) Credit batsman with a safe hit. 

(13) Credit batsman with a safe hit. (Error of omission, for which no 

charge can properly be made.) 

(14) Charge second baseman with an error. 

(15) Charge fielder who dropped ball with an error. 

(16) Charge catcher an error immediately. 

(17) Charge pitcher with a base on balls and a wild pitch, but no other 

form of error. 

(18) Credit batsman with a safe hit. 

(19) Credit batsman with a safe hit. 

(20) Credit batsman with a safe hit. 

(21) Batsman does not get credit for a safe hit. 

(22) Neither safe hit nor error is to be recorded. 

(23) Credit batsman with a safe hit. 

(24) Credit batsman with a two-base hit. 

(25) Credit batsman with a safe hit. 

(26) Credit batsman with a safe hit. (Put-out at first is illegal, as ball 

is dead from the moment it strikes the umpire.) 
{27) (a) No error, (b) Charge shortstop with an error. 

ON SACRIFICE HITS AND FLIES. 

(28) Not a sacrifice, but a safe hit and time at bat. 

(29) (a) Sacrifice fly. (b) Sacrifice fly. 

(30) Not a sacrifice hit. Charge batsman a time at bat. Runner advances 

from first to second on the put-out. 

(31) Not a sacrifice hit, as batsman swung hard at the ball. 
{32) Credit batsman with a safe hit. 

(33) Not a sacrifice fly, as no runner scored. 

(34) Not a sacrifice fly, as runner failed to score. 

(35) Sacrifice hit for the batsman. • 

(36) (a) Not a sacrifice hit. (b) Not a sacrifice hit. Charge error to the 

shortstop. 
(.37) Credit batsman with a safe hit. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

ON FIELDER'S CHOICE AND FORCE HIT. 

(38) Batsman reaches first and runner scores on fielder's choice. 

(39) Runner forced at second on a force hit, batsman reaching first on 

the play. 

(40) Batsman reaches first on the force hit. 

(41) Batsman reaches first on the force hit and no error is charged. 

(42) Batsman reaches first on the force hit. 

(43) Unlike the five cases immediately preceding, is not necessarily a 

fielder's choice, depending upon whether the fly was dropped inten- 
tionally or unintentionally. It makes no difference, however, as no 
error is scored and the batsman reaches first on the force hit. 

(44) Very liberal scoring will make this a safe hit for the batsman. Very 

strict scoring would allow nothing but a fielder's choice to account 
for both bases advanced. The medium course would be to allow 
the batsman a sacrifice hit, exempting him from a time at bat. 

(45) As in the immediately preceding case, very liberal scoring would allow 

the batsman a safe hit. Unlike that case, however, there is no 
chances to allow the batsman a sacrifice hit and the only other 
course is to sco^e both runners as advancing on a fielder's choice, 
charging the batsman a time at bat. The first alternative presented 
is desirable in this case. 

(46) Fielder's choice on which batsman should be credited with a sacrifice 

hit. 

ON PUT-OUTS AND ASSISTS. 

(47) Give third baseman and shortstop an assist each and second baseman 

a put-out. 

(48) Credit shortstop, third baseman, catcher, second baseman and pitcher 

with an assist each and credit shortstop with the put-out also. 

(49) Both runner and batsman are safe. As ball struck fielder before 

striking base runner, this is not a case of ball striking a base runner. 

(50) Give catcher credit for a put-out and credit pitcher with a strike-out. 

The batsman is technically out on the foul and not the fly catch. 

(51) Runner advancing from first to second is out, second baseman getting 

credit for the put-out. 

(52) (a) Credit outfielder an assist and shortstop a put-out. In this case 

the outfielder does not get charged with an error, (b) Charge out- 
fielder an error for allowing batsman to reach first base. Then 
credit outfielder with an assist and shortstop with a put-out for 
making the play at second base. 

(53) Credit pitcher with a put-out. (This play is cited because some 

scorers are erroneously imbued with the idea that when a fielder 
fields the ball and has to run to his opponent to touch him out, or 
has to run to a base to make a force out he is entitled to both an 
assist and a put-out. The pita is ingenious and not without a 
certain degree of plausibility, but cannot be allowed.) 

(54) (a) Credit catcher with the put-out. Though ball may be picked up by 

the first baseman, he cannot make the put-out. (b) Credit player 
with the put-out. 

(55) No. 3 can legally finish No. 4's turn at bat, beginning his attempt with 

two strikes and two balls. 

(56) Right fielder should be charged with an error, as he was at fault in 

not making the put-out at the first opportunity offered. Right 
fielder should next be credited with an assist and first baseman 
charged with an error. 

(57) Batsman is credited with a safe hit and base runner is out. Foot- 

note should be made stating that (insert name of runner) 

was out, hit by 's (insert name of batsman) batted ball in 

inning. 

(58) Play stands as recorded, in every respect, and error has not been 

discovered in time to demand a penalty. No. 5's record on book 
remains blank for the turn. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

(59) Technical infield fly and batsman is out. Credit first baseman with 

the put-out. 

(60) Credit with an assist each the shortstop, catcher, third baseman, pitcher 

and first baseman. Charge third baseman an error for not com- 
pleting the play by reason of dropping the ball. Next credit the 
third baseman with a put-out for making the new and separate play 
of putting out the runner who has advanced from second and is 
illegally attempting to hold base already pre-empted by the farther 
advanced runner. 

ON TIMES AT BAT. 

(61) A scratch cannot be a sacrifice and even though runner advances, 

batsman must be charged with a time at bat. 

(62) Runner is not advanced, batsman cannot be credited with a sacrifice 

hit, and is consequently not exempt from a time at bat. 

(63) Batsman must be charged with a time at bat, as a sharp-hit ball 

cannot be a sacrifice hit. 

(64) Credit batsman with a sacrific fly and exempt him from a time at bat. 

Left fielder is not charged with an error, as he retrieves his prac- 
tical error by forcing runner at second. 

(65) Credit batsman with a sacrifice hit and exempt him from a time 

at bat. 

(66) Not a sacrifice hit, and batsman must be charged a time at bat. It 

is a plain force and the runner advances from first to second on 
the put-out. 

(67) Credit the batsman with a sacrifice hit and exempt him from a time 

at bat. 

(68) Credit batsman with a sacrifice hit and exempt him from a time 

at bat. 

(69) Individual judgment must govern a case of this kind. The liberal 

scorer will call it a sacrifice hit and exempt the batsman from a 
time at bat. The shortstop will not be given an error. Less lib- 
eral scorers will call the play a force, charge the shortstop with 
an error and charge the batsman a time at bat. The first-named 
procedure should have the preference. 

(70) Batsman takes first on the catcher's interference and is exempt from 

the charge of a time at bat. 

(71) Not a sacrifice hit, as no runner scores from third. Batsman should 

be charged with a time at bat. 

(72) Run does not count. 

(73) Run does not count. 

ON SCORING RUNS. 

(74) Run counts. 

(75) Run counts. 

(76) Run counts. 

(77) Run counts. 

(78) Run does not count. 

(79) Runner cannot score unless second and first bases were also occu- 

pied when batsman hit the ball. 

(80) Run counts and all runners are compelled to advance one base. 

(81) Run will not be permitted to score. 

ON DOUBLE PLAYS AND STOLEN BASES. 

(82) Double play. 

(83) Double play. 

(84) Double play. 

(85) Double play. 

(86) Double play. 

(87) Not a double play. 

(88) Double play. 



SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY. 

(89) Stolen base. 

(90) Not a stolen base. Runner advances on the out. 

(91) Not a stolen base. Charge the shortstop with an error and credit the 

catcher with an assist. 

(92) Not a stolen base. 

(93) Not a stolen base. Runner advances on the fly-out. 

(94) Stolen base and error for the catcher. 

(95) Not a stolen base. Runner advances two bases on the safe hit. 

(96) Neither runner is credited with a stolen base. 

(97) Neither runner is credited with a stolen base. They advance on the 

passed ball. 

(98) Runner who scores is not credited with a stolen base. He scores on 

the put-out following the attempted steal of runner on first. 

ON CREDIT OR CHARGE OF PITCHERS. 

(99) Credit second pitcher. 

(100) Credit second pitcher. 

(101) Credit third pitcher. 

(102) Charge second pitcher. 

(103) Credit first pitcher. 

(104) Credit second pitcher. 

(105) Charge third pitcher. 

(106) Credit third pitcher. 

(107) Credit second pitcher. 

(108) Credit first pitcher. 

(109) Credit second pitcher. 

ON ABRUPT TERMINATIONS, 
(no) Game stands 1 to 1 tie. Records remain up to the last moment of 
play. 

(111) Game ends with score 4 to 3. Records remain up to the last moment 

of play. 

(112) Game ends with even fifth inning, score 5 to 4 in favor of last team 

at bat. All records during sixth inning must be erased. 

(113) Game ends with even seventh inning, score 3 to 2 in favor of team 

last at bat. All records made during eighth inning must be 
erased. 

(114) Game ends a 4 to 4 tie. All records are retained up to the last 

moment of play. 

(115) Game ends with even sixth innning, score 8 to o in favor of team 

first at bat. All records made in seventh inning must be erased. 

(116) Game ends 4 to 4 tie. All records are retained up to the last moment 

of play. 



subK THE SPALDING 



^TRADE-MARK g S T tv es 



Spalding "Official National League" Ball 



(REG. U. S. PAT. OFF.) 




Adopted 

4$p"z by the 

~2Bi National 
League 

Patent 
Cork Center 



No. 1. Used in all Championship games. Double 
stitched, red and black. 



SPALDING RUBBER CORE LEAGUE BALL 

No. 1A. Pure Para rubber center. Wound in same manner and with same 
yarn as' Official National League." Stitched red and black. 
SPALDING 
"OFFICIAL NATIONAL LEAGUE" JR. BALL 

Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. 
No. Bl. Patent cork center, slightly smaller in size 
than our"Official National League" (Ree.U.S.Pat.Off.) 
Ball No. 1. 

SPALDING MATCH 
No. 4. Horsehide cover. 

SPALDING JUNIOR PROFESSIONAL 
No. 7B. Slighdy under regular size. Horsehide 
cover. Carefully made. 

SPALDING KING OF THE DIAMOND 
No. 5. Full size; has horsehide cover. 
No. 8. SPALDING LEAGUE JUNIOR. A popu- 
lar boys' size ball. Durable cover. No. Bl 
No. 6. STAR. Full size. Durable cover. 

No. 11. BOYS' AMATEUR. Nearly regulation size and weight. 
No. 12. BOYS' FAVORITE. A good boys' size; two-piece cover. 
No. 13. ROCKET. Two-piece cover. Boys' size. 






PROMPT ATTENTION BIVEN TO 

ANT COMMUNICATIONS 

ADDRESSED TO US 



A.G.SPALDING & BROS. 

STORES iN ALL LARGE CITIES 



FOR COMPLETE LIST OF STORES 

SEE INSIDE FRONT COVER 

OF THIS BOOK 



PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. For C««di»D P n«. «o .peci.i c«..<Um C.ulegu^ 



ACCEPT NO 



THE SPALDING(t§§)TRADEMARK 



SPALDING BASE BALL BATS 



Finished plain white. 



No. 150N. Spalding Natural Finish Ash Bats. 

hard filled, French polished. 12 models . 

No. 150B. Spalding Dark Brown Taped Ash Bats. Very dark brown 
stained, except 12 in. of handle left natural. Tape wound grip. Hard 
filled, high French polished. 12 models. 

SPECIFICATIONS of Models furnished in the Nos. 160N and 160B line of bats listed above. 



Model Length Weight 

. Nl 31 in. 32 to 89 oz. 

N2 33 in. 33 to 43 oz. 

N3 83 hi. 35 to 44 oz. 

N4 33 in. 32 to 40 oz. 



Model Length Weight 

N5 34 in. 36 to 44 oz. 

N6 34 in. 86 to 44 oz. 

N7 34 in. 38 to 45 oz. 

N8 32 in. 87 to 43 oz. 



Model Length Weight 

N9 35 in. 38 to 45 oz. 

N10 34 In. 36 to 44 oz. 

Mil 82 in. 40 to 44 oz. 

N12 35 in. 40 to 47 oz. 



No. 12SS. Spalding "All Star" Ash Bats. Yellow stained, mottle burnt, 
hard filled, high French polished. Good quality second growth white 
ash. Supplied in twelve assorted models. 

No. 125M. Spalding New Special College Ash Bats. Special oil tem- 
pered, natural finish, hard filled, taped eight inches on handle. Fine 
quality second growth white ash. Supplied in twelve assorted models. 

No. 125Y. Spalding Special National Association Ash Bats. Yellow 
stained, hard filled, two- thirds of bat light flame burnt, French polished. 
Fine grade second growth white ash, taped five inches on handle. 
Supplied in twelve assorted models 

No. 125F. Spalding Hardwood Fungo Bat. 38 in. long, thin model, pro- 
fessional oil finish . 

No. 100T. Spalding League, Taped Handle. Assorted models. Good 
quality white ash. 

No. 100. Spalding League, Plain Handle. Same as No. 100T, Not taped 

handle.. 
No. 75W. Spalding Willow Fungo Bat. Specially selected basswood, light 

weight, yellow stained, assorted lengths. 
No. 50B. Spalding Junior. Boys' bat. Special finished, assorted models, 

selected white ash . 
No. 25B. Spalding Junior League. Boys* bat. Light weights; good grade 

ash (six dozen in a crate).. 

We do not guarantee bats against breaking. 



mm ATTENTION fillM TO 
ANT COMMUNICATIONS 
ESSEOTOUS ' 



A.G.SPALDING &, BROS 

cr-i-noirci im fl i i LARGE CITIf 






.PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTI 




No. 12-0 



SPALDING CATCHERS' MITTS 

No. 12-0. "Honor." The 
pride of the Spalding factory. 
Special brown leather. Pad- 
ding cannot get out of shape, 
as it is held by an "inside 
mitt" of leather. Leather 
laced back and strap-and- 
buckle reinforcement at 
thumb. "Stick-on-the-Hand" 
strap-and-buckle fastening 

N<x 10-0. "World Series." 

Finest selected brown calf- 
skin. King Patent Felt Pad- 
ding, leather laced back and 
special "Stick-on-the-Hand" 
strap and brass buckle fasten- 
ing. , 

No. 6-0. "Collegiate." Special 
olive-colored leather. King 
Patent Felt Padding; laced 
back and thumb; strap-and- 
buckle fastening. " - — ~ 

No. OK. "OK Model." Semi- 
molded face. Brown leather 
_ . , . A . . , throughout. Felt padding, 

Eatent laced back and thumb; leather lace, leather bound edges, 
leather strap and buckle fastening . 

No. 5-0. "League Extra." Molded face. Special tanned buff colored leather, 
soft and pliable; patent hand formed felt padding; strap-and-buckle fast- 
ening at back, reinforced and laced at thumb, and made with patent laced 
back. Heel of hand piece felt lined. Leather bound edges. . " 

No. 4-0. "League Special.** Molded face. Special tanned brown leather; 
patent hand formed felt padding; reinforced and laced at thumb; patent 
laced back, leather lace; strap-and-buckle fastening at back. Heel of 
hand piece felt lined. Leather bound edges. . 

No. O. "Interstate." Brown leather face and finger piece; leather back and side 
piece; strap-and-buckle fastening; patent laced back; leather lace. Heel of 
hand piece felt lined. 

No. AA. "Athletic." Brown leather face and finger piece, black leather back and 
side piece; patent laced back, leather lace; strap-and-buckle fastening. 

No. 1C. "Back-Stop." Gray leather face and finger piece; oak colored leather 
side piece. Strap-and-buckle; patent laced back, leather lace, f 

No. 3. "Amateur." Oak colored leather face and finger piece; imitation leather 
back. Reinforced at thumb ; strap-and-buckle fastening. 

No. 3A. "Public School." Oak colored leather face and fingers. Canvas_back 
and Army gum fabric side piece. Reinforced at thumb. . 

No. 4E. "Boys' Amateur." Oak colored leather face and fingers, canvaajback 
and Army gum fabric side piece. Good size. 

All Styles Made in Rights and Lefts 
When Ordering for Left Handed Players Specify "Full Right" 



A. G. SPALDING & BROS 

STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES 



FOR COMPLETE LIST OF STORES 
SEE INSIDE FRONT COVFJ 
! OF THIS MM 



.PWCES_SUBJECT_TO_ CHANGE _WITHOUT_ NOTICE. r« Caartta pri~ ... . P .o.i 



l ^^^^^^^[d( ^:■)k MMM 



SPALDING INFIELDERS' GLOVES 



No. BBH. "Honor." All horsehide, 
special buck tanning, including full 
lining, making this really the most 
durable and "wearable" fielders glove 
ever put out. Leather welted seams, 
Laced at heel . 

No. BB1. "World Series." Finest quality 
buckskin. Most carefully constructed, s> 
being of good width and length, but not/ 
clumsv. Leather lined. Welted seams. V 
King Patent Felt Padding. 

No. PXL. "Professional." Finest buck- 
skin obtainable. Heavily padded around 
edges and little finger. Extra long to 
protect the wrist. Leather lined. Welted 
In regular and "Cadet" fingers. 




w 



No. XWL. "League Special." Specially tanned calfskin. Extra long to 

protect wrist. Leather lined. Welted seams. 
No. 2W. "Minor League." Smoked horsehide. Professional model ; 

leather lined; laced at wrist; welted seams 
No. 3X. "Semi-Pro." Gray buck tanned leather. A very large model. 

Correctly padded; welted seams. Leather lined. 
No. XL. "Club Special." Special white tanned leather; laced at wrist 

to adjust padding; welted seams; leather lined.. 
No. 4X. "Association." Brown leather, specially treated. Laced at 

wrist. Welted *eanis; leather lined. 

No. MO. "Ours." Made of selected oak tanned leather, leather lined. 

No. XS. "Practice." Good quality pearl tanned leather; well finished; 

welted seams; leather lined. 
No. 15. "Regulation." Men's size. Brown tanned leather, padded: 

welted seams; leather lined . 
No. 15R. "Regulation." Men's size. Black tanned leather, laced at 

wrist for padding adjustment; leather lined. 

No. 15W. "Mascot." Men's size. Oak colored leather; leather 

lined ., 
No. 13. "Interscholastic." Youths' size. Oak tanned orown leather, 

welted seams; palm leather lined. 

No. 17. "Youths'." Good size; special brown tanned leather; nicely 
padded; palm leather lined. 

An extra piece of felt padding is enclosed with each King Patent Glove. 

All of above gloves are made with Diverted Seam (Pat. March 10, 1908), and have 
web of leather between thumb and first finger which can be cut out if not required. 

Made in Rights and Lclts. When ordering lor Left Handed Players Specify "Full Right.'* 



PROMPT ATTENTION GIVEN TO 

ANY COMMUNICATIONS 

ADDRESSED TO US 



A.G.SPALDING &, BROS. 

STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES 



FOR COMPLETE LIST OF 
SEE INSIOE FRONT 
Of THIS'" 



STOFSTORESlI 
ONT COVER I 
BOOK ■■ 



PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. For 



c 



£jIG LEAGUE 

Quality" 

signifies BEST in anything. 



m 






The Spalding Ball 
has been the 
Official Ball of the 
National League 
for Forty-one years. 



Are you using it ? 







y* Officials 





A. G. Spalding & Bros, 



NEW YORK 

CHICAGO 

SAN FRANCISCO 

and other principal 

cities of the 

United States 






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ATHLETIC L 



A separate book covei. 

and is Official and "Standard 





AG. Spalding <& Bros. 



NEW YORK 
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PHILADELP 



CHICAGO SAN" FRANCIS 

INDIANAPOLIS OAKLAND 

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DETROIT SFATTii 



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*.n?d und operated by A G Spalding 6 Bros, and #/»frp *// of Ira, 



CHICAGO 



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PHILADELPHIA LONDON. 



